Apartment No 1308
by Saiynt
Summary: In a somewhat more advanced setting, students gather to attend four of the greatest schools in their present-day Japan. More importantly, students who manage to get accepted strive for residence in the Solaris Complex Apartment where next to none of it's tenants have failed to graduate. This year's newest applicants desire to escape the building everyone wants to join. Why? [SYOC]
1. Prologue: Solaris Complex

_A/N_

 _Allo allo and thank you for taking the time to take a gander at my fic. I just recently had this idea (sort of) and just figured I might as well try writing it out. Updates might end up being a bit scattered but I will try my best to ensure the best quality for each chapter. Anyways, here's the prologue and if you like it feel free to favorite, review and submit a character. Thanks~! (\\(OwO)/)_

 ** _Prologue- Solaris Apartment Complex_**

Acceptance letter grasped tightly in my hand, I found myself staring out the window as the scenery continued to pass by while I endured the rocking of the train. My aunt had been surprised that I had managed to get into one of the four great schools despite it only being Asukawa. Nonetheless, I'm certain I will be able to achieve the best education there nonetheless rather than staying here on the countryside.

After all, becoming a world class pastry chef is my dream. Even with my small town recipes passed down from my family for the past few generations I'm certain there's more in the world to discover about making delicious desserts everyone can enjoy. Popping a cube of green tea yōkan my uncle had prepared for my trip I felt my nerves ease as the train ride progressed. As much as making sweets was enjoyable and a relaxing experience as it was, eating the finished products was far better by a landslide. I could feel a stupid grin forming on face from the simple yet wonderful taste, probably disturbing whoever happened to look my way but I didn't mind at all. Speaking of others, there were quite a lot of people around my age onboard. Or rather, _everyone_ on board was around my age. I suppose it'd make sense since this train only has one end destination and that's Hayasunai.

Hayasunai, a newly created town in the western region of Japan. Although it's fairly recent, as in the last hundred years or so it's the most technologically advanced city in the country to date. Which also explains why the four great schools are considered to be so spectacular. Though it's odd that they're in such close proximity to each other but I suppose it's because they compete with each other before larger scale competitions with the other prefectures. Ah right, Hayasunai has it's own jurisdiction apparently. Or at least, according to the government I suppose.

But enough about that.

The most important part about being able to study in this city is the fabled Solaris Apartment complex. Now, you may wonder what's so great about this place but since it's been established it has had a ninety-nine percent graduation rate with it's tenants and a hundred percent success rate for everyone's careers. People say it's due to the intense guidelines for staying there regarding your grades as well as your talents but others say it's because of some hidden magic on the ground it was built upon. Regardless of the reason, I'm looking forward to being able to live there. Though...

"I'm probably going to have to get a job as soon as I get there..." I let out a heavy sigh, slouching over in my seat. All enthusiasm I had prior was gone with that simple realization. Tuition costs were no laughing matter especially not for Solaris. It might've been cost effective to move into a regular apartment but I didn't want to risk my graduation just because I'd have to get a little job. I'm sorry for being so superstitious but numbers don't lie, am I right?

"Excuse me, miss?"

I looked up to see someone looking down at me, a small smile evident on their face. Oddly enough, the sudden appearance of bright lights in my vision had kept me from determining who I was speaking to. Had we entered a tunnel during my thoughts? I'm not sure but they certainly seemed to be speaking to me... I wonder what they want.

"Hmmm?" I simply hummed a response, internally facepalming a moment after considering how rude that sounded. They didn't seem to mind before flashing a student ID in my face along with their acceptance letter from...

"I was wondering what school you might be attending. The others seem a bit...preoccupied with their own business so I figured I'd try you." They laughed a bit as they said this, gesturing to the other teens who were staring down at their tech phones and watching some videos or playing games. Oh, how much I envy them.

"Oh, I'm attending Asukawa. See?" I showed my own acceptance letter that bore the symbol for the school as if I needed to show signs of approval. "I'm pretty excited to go there. I didn't think I'd actually get in to any of the schools... How about you?" They seemed to be a bit discouraged when I told them what school I had been accepted in. Or perhaps they were overjoyed? The bizarre lighting had yet to fade away so I couldn't quite determine which. Nonetheless, they continued to speak once more.

"Ah, I see! I'll be attending... ...so maybe we'll see each other around often!" Huh? I couldn't quite catch that, where were they attending? Stupid train making the most obnoxious noises at the most inappropriate times. I opened my mouth to ask them if they could repeat which school they had been accepted to but before I could say anything they were already on their way.

...What was the name on their student ID again...?

"Ugh!" Huffing loudly, I thrust my arms into the air before flopping onto my side in the seat. I managed to make an acquaintance and I have no idea just who they are or what school they're attending. Isn't that just wonderful? Maybe I can hope they'll be living in the Solaris complex but...the chances of that could be slimmer than a bikini model.

"Ah, I can see the city!" Someone exclaimed, a girl judging from their voice. Immediately hearing that I vaulted up in my seat and pressed my face against the window. True to the talk of magazines and on the news, Hayasunai certainly _looked_ like a technological town. Large buildings towering over the few trees that remained around the city along with floating vehicles leaving and entering the territory through various places. It's certainly different from what I imagined, both frightening and amazing at the same time.

"Wow..." I gasped, my voice clearly expressing my amazement.

 _I had thought...this would be the start of an amazing life._

 _Soon enough...that image quickly faded away..._

 _Now...there is nothing but nightmares..._

 _ **~Character Form Below (Can also be found on my profile for convenience)~**_

 _ **Note; As this will be occurring in Japan I would like the OCs be limited to such but I am willing to accept at least two foreign transfers. Preferably one of each gender but I'm pretty lenient on that.**_

 _ **Name: (Feel free to include nicknames and/or aliases)**_

 _ **Age: (Age Range is 15~18, higher ages require students to have been held back. Younger ages are not permitted, thank you for understanding)**_

 _ **Gender: (All genders are approved. Also state here if your character is desiring to hide their gender for any given reason and provide the reason as well.)**_

 _ **Height:**_

 _ **Weight:**_

 _ **Appearance: (Include plenty of details here including the outfit they will be wearing during the story as well as obvious things such as hair color, eye color, any accessories etc. etc. If they carry any small things like a cellphone for example note that here as well.)**_

 _ **Personality: (Definitely require details here. Try to be as unique and creative here without getting too wild. A diverse group is essential to making each character interesting compared to each other. Also include speech here as in how they speak to others as well as how they speak about themselves. If your character speaks in the third person include that here.)**_

 _ **Quirks: (Do they have any interesting things about them? For example- they are constantly fidgeting and frequently touching their face or head for no apparent reason.)**_

 ** _History: (Your character's life prior to becoming a tenant. Include family as well as prime events in your character's life that have made them who they are today. Especially be certain to include what got them into whatever their talent is- be it a tradition or they simply found it out of thin air or perhaps someone inspired them. Everyone's different.)_**

 ** _Secret(s): (Does your character have any secrets? If no, be sure to explain why. All secrets must come with a reason or I will find one for myself. Try not to do something cliche, it could be as irrelevant or completely stupid to someone else- as long as your character values it as something that needs to be kept secret it's perfect.)_**

 ** _Fears: (I believe this is self-explanatory-ish? Just include why they fear what they fear. Also include how they would react to such a fear.)_**

 ** _Likes:_**

 ** _Dislikes:_**

 ** _Plausible Reasons For Murder: Select either, (A) Kill for the Motive Presented (B) Kill for a Simple Escape (C) A Reason later to be Presented in the Story [Failure to select any of these will result in immediate rejection of the character submission]_**

 ** _Strengths: (There is no minimum of strengths, you can have zero if you'd like. The maximum, however, are at least three. You can make them whatever you like so long as they are within reason to your character's history as well as talent. For example, an heir to a cooking company isn't going to know survival skills for when they're stranded in the wilderness.)_**

 ** _Weakness: (There is no minimum or maximum here but you have to make them equal to or at least one greater than your amount of strengths. This rule does not apply to when you have 0 strengths, look at the following example for such a case. Ex: If you have 0 strengths then you have to have at least 1 weakness. Regarding weaknesses if you have for example, incapable of cooking please include a time when your character attempted to cook and it's result. This is absolutely necessary.)_**

 ** _Roles for Trial and Investigation: Select two of the following (A) Investigator (B) Debater (C) Commentator (D) Pessimist [Note, people who are not investigators are likely to bring up important points that they personally found during investigation. Investigators will have their POV broadcast during investigation time.]_**

 ** _Romance: (Would your character be susceptible to the emotions of being in a relationship during the course of this story? If so, please explain how they would react, their type and their sexuality.)_**

 ** _School They Are Attending/Accepted In: (There are four schools in which your character can belong to. Valiance Elite High School, Silver Wing Eastern Academy, Saint Oracles High School and Asukawa School for Higher Learning. Valiance Elite is where a large portion of society's upper class students study. They aren't necessarily the most gifted but they have the money to overcome that issue as well as large familial assets. Silver Wing are filled with students of any class but is definitely the most competitive of the four schools. They also bear the most awards as well as the longest standing history compared to the others. Saint Oracles, a slightly more religious environment than the rest as well as being far more traditional. They are considered to be the least competitive but far more docile than the others despite it's allegedly strict staff. Finally, Asukawa is the most recently established school, created by it's late headmaster Yoriko Asukawa. While their members are small the amount of talent gathered here is higher than the others due to being more cost effective than the others.)_**

 ** _There are sixteen slots to fill and mastermind will be chosen at random~_**


	2. Notice: Callbacks? No, Just the List

_A/N_

 _Here lies the proper list of all those who survived the battle of the submission process. I salute those who did not make it and encourage you guys to continue submitting to stories and get your beautiful babies out there. As for everyone else. Keep on submitting to stories so the world can see your beautiful babies. ;v;_

 ** _Valiance Elite High School_**

 ** _-Shirotani Kurose SHSL Anatomical Pathologist_**

 ** _Silver Wing Eastern Academy_**

 ** _-Senri Maekawa SHSL Journalist_**

 ** _-Kimiko Mayu SHSL Movie Director_**

 _ **-Ken Hiromoto SHSL Hacker**_

 _ **-Hotaru Anemori SHSL Archer**_

 ** _-Caroline Illia SHSL Magician_**

 ** _-Kobayashi Dia SHSL Couturier_**

 ** _Saint Oracles High School_**

 ** _-Emi Kubarachi SHSL Otome Game Maker_**

 ** _-Naoki Hamasaki SHSL Literature Writer_**

 ** _-Asane Komuro SHSL Acrobat_**

 ** _Asukawa School for Higher Learning_**

 ** _-Daigo Kiyoshi SHSL Calligrapher_**

 ** _-Kiyomi Madoka SHSL Matchmaker_**

 _ **-Izuna Kokomaru SHSL Musician**_

 ** _-C.C. SHSL ?_**

 ** _-Taro Hiragaki SHSL Economist_**

 ** _-Hitaka Yuushi SHSL Fighter_**


	3. Chapter 1: Why Is It So Cramped?

_A/N:_

 _A large thank you very much to everyone who has taken the time to submit. I'm still going through the process of reviewing forms as well as waiting for more to turn up._ _*cough cough Valiance needs some members cough cough*_ _. This is just a simple chapter filled with a few of the permanent cast so if your character didn't appear here, do not fret as they may be in the incoming updates. I'll probably post an accepted students list either after this chapter or the next one. Depends if all the slots fill up I suppose. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this. As usual, review if you have any thoughts and submit if you'd like to send in a character._

* * *

 ** _Chapter One: Why Is it So Cramped? ;n;_**

 _Drip...Drip...Drip..._

What's...that sound...? It was echoing in my ears repeatedly. Or was I just imagining it? _Drip..._ Definitely not imagining it... Stirring from my apparent slumber, my stiff body found itself being attacked by something cold all around. Eyes slowly opening and looking about, I realized where I was. A bathroom.

"...What am I doing here...?" I asked aloud, my voice echoing slightly against the tiled walls within the room. I tried sitting up and managed to do so with a bit of difficulty. However long I'd been on the ground must have been a pretty extended period of time. Rubbing the back of my neck, my eyes quickly grew accustomed to the dim lighting of the small space. "Y'know, for a prestigious apartment complex the bathrooms are fucking cramped for no reason." Letting out a groan as I pulled myself up to my feet, I quickly located the door and immediately tried to turn the door knob.

 _Rattle rattle._

"..." I tried turning it the opposite direction but achieved the same results, nothing. "Oh come on." I pressed my shoulder against the door to add in some force but it wouldn't budge period. Frustrated, I kicked the wooden waste of space before my legs gave out and causing me to fall over to the sink to my left. I guess I'm still a bit disoriented from my long nap. Yeah... _Drip... Drip..._ Staring into the filled contents of the sink with some sort of murky liquid filled nearly to the brim, I realized this was where the sound had been coming from. Did I leave the sink running when I came in here? No, I wouldn't do something like that. And I certainly wouldn't just _sleep_ on the bathroom floor.

This was certainly odd. I might have been here for two months now and I've met some odd people but this really was bizarre compared to everything I've witnessed. Pulling out my notepad and favorite black pen, I turned around to lean on the sink as I flipped to a fresh page and began writing.

 _Date: ...Cannot Recall._

 _Time: Undetermined._

 _Location: Bathroom in the Solaris Apartment Complex_

"...Wow, that's a lot of information." I noted sarcastically, taking a moment to flip through the notepad. The most recent entries were in the beginning of June- the last one I wrote being the seventh and that was a simple grocery shopping list. Nothing too important about the day but...it seems I didn't write anything after that morning. Now that is certainly strange. Crossing my arms, I found myself diving into deep thought.

What exactly occurred between now and then? How much time had passed? And why did I wind up in the bathroom? _Drip. Drip._ Groaning, I moved to turn the faucet off which by now had started to get on my nerves. _Creak..._ I twisted one of the knobs but that didn't seem to do anything except making unnecessary noise. Great, so it was broken.

"This is just perfect." I mutter, leaning my ahead against the cool reflective surface of the mirror above the sink. However, my forehead came in contact with something that wasn't exactly...smooth like the rest of it. Leaning back, I found some words painted onto the glass. "...Were those always there...? Or did I just not pay attention to the mirror?" Shaking my head, I squinted my eyes to try and make out what they said, finding it to be a bit difficult in this lighting.

 _"...Dig...deep and you may...find the heart of your solution..."_ Below the words was a crudely drawn arrow pointing to the sink below. I grimaced in disgust when my eyes landed on the murky pool of mysterious fluid. My mind said it was just water but my heart screamed otherwise. Nonetheless, I wanted out of here and I would following along with this... _hint_. Removing my leather jacket and folding it neatly onto the ground along with rolling up the sleeves to my white turtleneck, I took in a deep breath before plunging my hand into the abyss. The water was cold if not freezing to the bone and it certainly helped wake me up.

Just bear with it. When my hand touched the base of the sink I immediately began feeling around before my fingers came in contact with something squishy but solid. ...A rag? That seemed likely judging from the texture but...I wasn't quite sure. Gripping it tightly in my hand, I quickly retrieved it but I regretted the action almost immediately.

"What the fuck...?"

Clenched tightly in my hand was nothing else but some sort of red tissue. No, not tissue, it absorbed water too easily for it to be that. As though a surge of electricity ran through the light overhead, for a moment the room brightened up and gave me better details of what I had obtained. In my hand was nothing else but what could be described as a heart. While it was shaped like a typical heart children would draw it was quite obvious that it had been carved into that shape judging from the jagged cuts. Evidence of veins were still visible and it left a pool of red liquid to slowly begin forming in the palm of my hand. Whatever contents were dwelling in my stomach threatened to come up as I dropped the disgusting thing to the ground. It bounced a few times with a few disgusting soft splat noises before landing onto my leather jacket.

"Goddammit!" I shouted, huffing loudly as I quickly lifted the blasted thing off my expensive designer jacket. This time, as I held it up to my face, I could catch a glimpse of something shining a bit among the clump of tissue. "...?" Swallowing whatever bile threatened to surface I tried to grasp at the thing with my fingers, failing to effectively get a grip on it due to the slippery organ it was buried in. After a few tries I managed to pull out a rusted key which had a faded out number that was illegible for me.

"If this doesn't go to this door I give up." Crouching in front of the door knob I found that there was a slot for the key to slide in. I figured this was really odd, I mean who would what a lock and key for their bathroom door? I guess some people really like their privacy to that extent... Putting that aside, I slid it in and turned it until I heard a click. Afterwards, I tried to twist the knob and it opened with ease. I tried to remove the key as well but...for some odd reason it had gotten stuck. I tried pulling as hard as I could but no success. Guess I'm not using that key anymore.

Sighing, I flung open the door and found myself looking into a pretty normal dorm room. Unlike the bathroom, this room's lighting was actually in proper working order and there wasn't anything wrong with it for the most part. Turning around to scoop my jacket up off the ground, I glance into the mirror as I did so only to bear witness to something that hadn't been in the room when I looked just moments ago. A faint blue fluorescent light was being emitted from the closet. Perhaps I didn't notice because I was too busy surveying the room quickly or maybe it just appeared right then and there. Either way, I didn't like it. But of course, I couldn't bear to leave it alone.

It's nothing serious, I told myself. I slid my jacket back on and rolled down the sleeve of my turtleneck before turning back around. Bracing myself for whatever was to come, I took quiet and slow footsteps towards the closed closet. I certainly hadn't imagined the light as it had gotten more so evident even with the bright light of the room. Once I made it to the door, I stared expectantly at the handle of the sliding entrance. A part of me wanted to just hightail it and get out of there but the other part told me I had to open the door. Biting my lip, my hand hesitantly gripped the door handle and slid the door open as quickly as I could.

On the floor was nothing more than a student ID or as what the students of the four great schools would call them, the Digital Information Data or DIG-ID for short. Plucking it off the ground I realized it was my own and wondered why it had been left on. Actually, no. Why was it on? Not to mention several of the functions seemed to be disabled. I tried tapping them but nothing would happen. The only one that seemed to be working was the private message. Arching a brow, I pulled up the virtual inbox which pulled up a short message that seemed to be nothing more than a pointless riddle.

 _'I want you to find something red. It cannot be grasped but it most be observable. It cannot move and it cannot be moved.'_

 _Reply: 140 Characters remaining._

What kind of cryptic... Groaning, I tried to delete the message but little trashcan button was nowhere to be found. Great. Turning the screen off, I slid the device into my jacket pocket and turned around. Something red that I cannot touch. It can't be moved and I must be able to observe it. I looked around the room, hoping it would be obvious but it seemed to be far to clean to just have something I was looking for out in the open. So I simply stood there, biting my lip. I didn't dare dig around this room to search for this thing, I didn't want to mess it up and ruin how nice it looked. Or rather, I wasn't quite able to.

 _Brrrrrrrrrriiiiiing!_ _Brrrrrrrrrriiiiiing!_ _Brrrrrrrrrriiiiiing!_

I immediately jolted from the sudden ringing that graced my ears. The vibrating against my torso made it clear that it was coming from my DIG-ID and I immediately retrieved it from my pocket. Turning it on from sleep mode I noticed that there was an incoming download. I didn't know what was being downloaded and it didn't seem like I could stop it.

"Are you kidding me? Why? Who is sending this to me?" I asked aloud, something I've beginning to do recently. I sighed in irritation, palming my forehead as I tried to think about this stupid riddle I was stuck with.

 _"Hey! I'm just here to help you! No need to sound so annoyed with me being downloaded!"_ Chirped an insulted voice, clearly sounding a bit robotic but having a bit of a masculine tone to it. I removed my hand from my face and found a holographic small male standing on the ID. Hand on his hip and frown plastered on his face, he glared at me with a ferocious look in his eyes.

"Who... ...What are you? Wait, are you a computerized existence?" I had heard of students having these around and even seen a few on my classmates' DIG-IDs but I never would've guessed I would have one. My eyes certainly lit up as I held it closer to my face. "Hey hey, what's your name? What kind of functions do you have? What about your creator? You're one of those helper units, right? And and...!"

 _"Sl-Slow down! I'll answer your questions one at a time, geez!" He exclaimed, looking rather flustered as his little hands waved in front of him. He took a deep breath before speaking again. "Anyways, I'll answer your questions after you get out of here. We're looking for something red but isn't tangible, right?"_

"Yeah. I'm not too certain on what it is but... do you think you could figure it out?" I asked, hoping he would do the work for me. I wonder what all it could do... I mean, he. Or no, is it an it? Either way, I bet it has some functions to make a layout of the room we're in or something.

 _"Already did it!"_

"Wh-What? That fast?" I inquired, clearly shocked by how fast he worked. Needless to say I was amazed by that. He nodded his head and I stared at him eagerly, awaiting his proposal. "...What is it?"

 _"Figure it out yourself!"_

"...Excuse me?" He simply repeated himself and I just stared blankly at the miniature figure in confusion. I sighed a bit. This was going to take a while, wasn't it?

 ** _Senri Maekawa - Age 18 Senior in Silver Wing Eastern Academy_**

 ** _SHSL Journalist_**

* * *

 _(Note: Italicized quotes here is not Japanese. I would say it is English but... Yeah. c:.)_

" _Ohohohoho! I must admit, that riddle was quite tricky but alas, it was no match for my wondrous tricks._ " A dark blonde, who was a borderline brunette, declared with a thick definition of a British accent, most likely deriving from London. Her attire was that of a student's bearing a black blazer with a red outline over a plain white shirt. A black skirt flowed down to her knees with a pair of black high heel boots adorned with lace to go along with the outfit. She also sported a pair of black gloves and a black top hat perched on her head with a cute red ribbon attached. Breaking off into a light chortle, the girl briskly turned to the individual who stood next to her, an elongated bang whirling about as she moved. The person next to her stared at her with a forced smile adorning his face, trying to go along with her. "You agree, do you not sir Daigo-san?" The individual who appeared to be a male was addressed and nodded briskly as a response.

"Yeah... I have no idea what you just said Caroline so I don't know what I'm agreeing to." Daigo pointed out, before moving along ahead and away from the door he had just escaped. Earlier, he had woken up stuffed into a closet for god knows why. His body was stiff and it took him quite a while to actually get out of there. After all, the closet was locked from the outside with one of those little hooks to keep it shut.

"Oh, my apologies sir Daigo-san. I simply stated that the riddle was quite tricky but my tricks are trickier. You agree, yes?"She hastened her pace to keep up with him as they wandered down the rather clean hallway. It seemed to be the residence hall of the first floor judging from the numbers. Of course, during their stay here they had known residences 1-30 were on the first floor and each floor above increased by thirty occupants. Though a large portion of the rooms were unoccupied due to people being incapable of meeting the Solaris Complex standards.

"Yeah, sure. I guess," shrugged his shoulders before pausing to look at her, causing her to bump into him. "S-Sorry about that but can I ask for a favor?"

"Of course! Whatever do you require sir? Doves? A card trick? Scarves?" As she listed these things, she made each one appear though the doves weren't actual living breathing doves she managed to produce a deck of cards and a chain of scarves with ease. The blonde girl looked up to the taller, blonder male, a glimmer of excitement and eagerness in her soft brown eyes.

"...No, I don't really require those. Just..." He sighed, raking his hand through his platinum blonde tresses and stopping in mid-flow. His matching pair of brown eyes trained on the objects she held in her hands. "Hold on- where did you get those from?" He was certainly surprised by their appearance- it just took a moment or two for the realization to settle in.

Laughing, Caroline closed her hands before opening them again to show the objects had disappeared. " _A magician never reveals her secret. C'est magnifique, no?"_ A small smile adorning her face, she pointed her finger down the corridor. "Pardon my rudeness but I believe we've spent enough time with chit-chat, no? Let us carry on!" With vigor in her step, the girl continued down their path with the boy following after her; clueless.

 ** _Caroline Illia - Age 16 Junior Exchange Student in Silver Wing Eastern Academy_**

 ** _SHSL Magician_**

"Sir Daigo-san," Caroline suddenly called out, stopping in front of him. He arched a brow at her sudden stop but said nothing, waiting for her to continue. "You didn't share your talent with me, did you? I was wondering what it might be. Do you...mind sharing with me?" She inquired, tilting her head back. However, doing so caused her large hat to fall to the ground with a soft thud and revealing a deck of cards inside. Hastily, she picked it up and set it back on top of her head to look up expectantly at him for his answer only for a pout to form on her lips when she saw that he was stifling a laugh.

Unable to hold it in, a laugh escaped his mouth but was quickly silenced by his hand. "Sorry, sorry. of course I'll tell you. I-It's nothing that interesting so if you really want to know...I don't mind telling you..." Rambling on about how uninteresting he himself was, he stopped himself by clearing his throat. "A-Anyways! Daigo Kiyoshi, the Super High School Level Calligrapher. Although my family wanted me to attend Saint Oracles I went along with joining Asukawa since I figured it would be a better fit and I'm a freshman." He took a deep breath after his long winded introduction, staring down at Caroline who blinked a couple of times.

"...Well, that was adorable. I didn't think you'd share all of that!" The shorter blonde mused, a large smile adorning her face though it was a normal one for her. Cheeks tinted pink from slight embarrassment, Kiyoshi tugged at his black jacket and the white dress shirt he wore underneath.

 ** _Daigo Kiyoshi - Age 15 Freshman in Asukawa School for Higher Learning_**

 ** _SHSL Calligrapher_**

"A-Anyways. If it's not too much of a hassle I'd like you to refrain from calling me Daigo- my first name would be better for me." Kiyoshi mumbled, clearing his throat and adjusting his navy blue tie for whatever reason.

"Understood. Sir Kiyoshi it is! I think that rolls off the tongue quite nicely, don't you agree?" Caroline hummed, folding her hands together under her chin. "And if you'd like, I don't mind being called Carol. No, in fact I _insist_ that you do. Please?"

"Su-Sure, Carol." She certainly seemed pleased by this as she begin chattering about how she'd love to bring him to England some time for her mother's specially made milk tea. Something about her using a special recipe to give it a mellower taste or something along those lines. Kiyoshi didn't quite follow along as she broke off into English at some parts so he just nodded along with a smile.

"...And my dog Charle, you love her. She's so cute when she-"

 _"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" (Note; this is in Japanese, just exaggerated with Italics)_

A blood curdling scream laced with fear shredded through the air, stopping the pair cold in their spots. The silence that followed the voice felt unnaturally heavy considering that was the sound of a scream when someone was about to be brutally murdered. Or perhaps, worse. Gulping, Kiyoshi was the first to move as a pit began forming in his stomach.

"That...was a scream...right? You heard it too...right?" He asked the girl beside him, refusing to tear his eyes away from the inky black darkness of the corridor before them.

"Yes... Perhaps...someone was frightened...?" Caroline suggested, a hopeful smile plastering her lips, not a lick of concern escaping to her facial features. Kiyoshi didn't quite seem to agree as he quickly took off running in the direction he heard the scream, blue sneaker clad feet moving rapidly with with each step. "Sir Kiyoshi, wait!" The magician called after the calligrapher but he did not yield, forcing her to follow after him and clutch her hat as she moved after him.

* * *

At the exact moment of the scream, Senri had nearly jumped out of his clothes, knocking over a bedside desk he was investigating. He'd been looking around for the answer for this 'riddle' for about ten minutes now with no help from his little digital helper.

"What the..." His head turned to the vent overhead, biting his lip as he wondered what exactly what was going on. He was concerned, that much was obvious but he also wondered who was screaming. It was obvious it was girl...but why...? First waking up in a bathroom then getting stuck in a room and now screams?

Seeing as how he wasn't much help trapped inside this room, the gray haired male begin looking around more frantically, making sure to place things back as he found them. A lit cigarette dangled in his mouth, the nearly nonexistent light it carried fading away slowly.

* * *

"...Was there a loud sound just now...?" I asked aloud, tilting my head back as I turned off the faucet of the sink- using a paper towel of course. Shrugging my shoulders, I passed off the sound as nonexistent before returning to my own matters. I tugged on my pair of leather gloves before shoving my hands into my pockets. I continued my trek around the kitchen, observing each and everything without making a move to touch a thing.

 _This definitely is the Solaris complex... Top notch equipment littered about for everyone here for their culinary arts expertise. And it's still clean, not a speck of dust to be seen anywhere._

 _How strange..._

I stopped next to the island, taking a moment to glance about for a brief moment before tilting my head to the side. Something was missing, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I did another survey of the room yet that failed to appease the feeling that was beginning to bloom. Something was definitely missing, but what was it?

"...Oh..." Realization came sooner than expected when I noticed the boy I was with was no longer present. What was his name again...? I think he told me it when we met up. Ah well, the point is he wasn't here any longer. Did he go off to look for something? Perhaps other students. "Hmm... I suppose I'm done here now..." Making a brisk turn, I took my time to exit the room while adjusting my lab coat so it wouldn't fall off my shoulder until a noise made it's presence known. It sounded like the rattling of...pots and pans, maybe?

Perplexed, I stopped and turned around only to spot the boy I had been wondering about just moments before. I stared blankly at him, watching him fiddle with the headphones settled atop his head as he simply stared back, not uttering a word.

...Was he not going to say anything...?

* * *

 _A/N_

 _Whoo... So that was a thing. I decided to write an introductory chapter for a few characters that were more or less accepted. They're also now on the list so go check that out. Chapter two probably won't be out for a bit more time so I hope this will appease you as an offering for now. Just a big thank you for everyone who reviewed last chapter. ...On the Prologue. I'd like to you thank you all for the compliments on the Prologue, I kinda felt it was a bit rushed but I'm glad you guys liked it._

 _Anyways, until next time. Eat lots of veggies. Insert inspirational quote of the day. Farewell! ((\\(OwO)_


	4. Chapter 2: Freaking Clowns Man

_A/N_

 _Updates Updates all around. I'm sorry- I lied so much about my updating process. ;n; I'm not gonna lie, I'm starting chapter three already- I just wanna get the Introductions done as soon as I can. Then we can get on to the big picture. Killing! Anyways, I'm not overly proud of this chapter- I don't particularly like the way I did the introductions this time around- they could've been more detailed but I didn't want to cram too much at you guys considering how many characters are getting introduced this time around. Definitely more than the last chapter I tell ya what. Anyways, the fully completed list can be viewed in the last update with the list of characters. I believe I've already notified people who needed to be notified for various reasons and well- yeah. Thanks for swinging by. Don't forget to review- that means leave any criticisms you may have as well as things you'd like to see in the next chapter. Or PM; I don't really mind which way as long as I get some feedback so I can improve. Have a nice Saturday and don't stay up too late kiddos. :C_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 2: Freaking Clowns Man_**

 _"Whoa- wh-what are you screaming for?!"_

 _"Stay away! Don't come any closer!"_

"Huh? _You're_ intruding in my room and what do you mean don't come any closer? _You_ leave!" The girl simply continued to back away from the male, eyes wrenched together to avoid seeing him which only seemed to perplex him even further. According to him, they were currently in his apartment and it seems that she was the source of the scream...

"I-I don't even know how I got here and all of a sudden when I wake up there's a clown in the room!" She declares loudly, pointing at him. This motion caused her to jab the bamboo sword he was gripping tightly that had been pointed directly at her chest in a matter of moments. "Then you try to attack me for no reason like some deranged psycophathic clown!" Not even giving him a chance to speak, she quickly darts over to where she assumed was the door which wound up being the bathroom's entry. She tripped heading inside, falling with a soft thud but quickly got back up to close the door and lock it.

 _'...what just happened...'_

The boy stood there completely confused by what just happened, the sword he had been gripping tightly for some time now fell to the ground as he crossed his arms. He stared at the door, frowning a bit as a hand snaked up his neck to tug at a lock of his hair, curling it around the index finger repeatedly. He wondered what a girl was doing in his apartment- not that it was odd or anything considering his main friend group consisted female companions but they didn't stay overnight; usually.

"And she freaking said I looked like a clown!" That seemed to be what ticked him off the most. After all, he was known for his impeccable fashion sense and such an accusation insulted him. Huffing loudly, he stomped his feet as he made his way over to a mirror perched on the wall of his room to observe his reflection and immediately shrieked loudly with fear and surprise.

" _What_ is this!?" Settled on his shoulders was a rather disturbing looking clown-like face- perhaps a mask considering how surprised he was. He hadn't recalled owning something like this, much less putting it on before he had went to slumber. The mask had a sullen look with a toothy smile etched into with the appearance of blood between the crevices of each tooth. A bit had pooled over onto the lips and over one of the eye holes was black star. Furthermore, the clown mask lacked any sort of hair giving it a rather aged look along with the wrinkles. The wearer of the mask's eyes twitched as he started tugging the accursed thing off.

"Who'd dare do something like this- it's revolting!" Once it was off, he tossed it to the ground with as much hate he could muster before stomping on it with his combat boot clad foot. "Hmph! I would never in my life willingly wear something like that. It's an insult to my name." He raked his hands through his raven tresses which also bore a crimson tint to them that slightly matched his reddish brown eyes. Returning his gaze to the mirror he had looked at just moments ago he smiled a bit to see that his appearance had returned to normal.

"That girl...she seemed to be afraid of me... Because of the clown mask...? ...Clown...?" His attention returned to the mask on the floor and he hesitantly picked it up to stare at the grotesque thing. "..." Discard it once more, he made his way over to the bathroom door whilst rolling up the sleeves of his buttoned up hoodie. He cleared his throat before knocking on the wooden surface of the door with the back of his hand.

"...Naoki-senpai?" He called out her name softly, the slightest bit of uncertainty present in his voice. There was a long silence before the slight click of the door was heard and creaked open slowly.

"..." The shorter girl appeared in the crack, a gray eye appearing and staring up at the taller male with a small bout of fear. "...How do you know my name...?" She subconsciously opened the door a bit wider seeing as how the 'mysterious clown man' was no longer present. Doing so revealed that she was indeed shorter than him as she stood up straight, reaching to about his chin. Her long navy tresses were braided into a fishtail braid with a white ribbon, resting against her back. Her lips trembled as they stood out against her pale skin as she looked around the male in search of her attacker, unaware that he was the one who had frightened her so badly.

 ** _Hamasaki Naoki (17) Senior in Saint Oracles_**

 ** _SHSL Literature Writer_**

 _'Well...at least she's calmed down a bit..._ ' "Kobayashi- Kobayashi Dia? I'm a friend of Carol-senpai. Remember?" He pointed to himself as he did his introduction in hopes that she would remember him. Her gaze refocused on him, blinking a couple of times before realization dawned upon her. Her gaze turned into a much harsher one as she glared at him, sending chills down his spine. "...Uhm...Naoki-senpai...?"

"...You... You're friends with that _she-demon_...?" Naoki asked before shaking her head. "An-Anyways that means you're in Silver Wing... Is your door unlocked?" Her voice had a steely edge to it, certainly making Dia _very_ uncomfortable. He wondered- had he hit a nerve somehow? That seemed strange to him since they hadn't had much of a chance to talk considering she dove into the bathroom at her first opportunity.

 ** _Kobayashi Dia (15) Freshman in Silver Wing Eastern Academy_**

 ** _SHSL Couturier_**

"Nao-"

 _"HEEEEEEEY!"_ A loud voice interrupted him mid-sentence followed by the intense banging of the door. This certainly made the girl jump as she quickly latched onto Dia's arm, nearly cutting off it's circulation. Her eyes wrenched shut once more, turning her attention away from the door as she tried to close out the obnoxious noise. _"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEY!"_ The voice shouted once again, sounding just as eerie to her as it did the first time. However, for Dia it was simply a nuisance and he frowned before trying to make his way over to the door with the girl crushing his right arm.

"No! Don't open it! We'll get stabbed to death by a serial killer!" She shouted, digging her heels into the hardwood floors which hardly did anything. Dia rolled his eyes at that, wondering if she really was an upperclassman much less an associate of Caroline.

"Calm down, it's probably just someone from another apar-"

 _"HEEEEEEEEEEY! ARE YOU ALRIGHT MISS?!"_

"I swear to _God_." Once he reached the door, he gripped the handle tightly and swung the door open just in time to receive a steady set of knocks against his face. His expression solidified, a blank look appearing on his face as his bangs covered his eyes.

"...O-Oops..." Kiyoshi mumbled, staring at the boy who obviously appeared to be a bit irritated about what just occurred. A forced smile appeared on Dia's lips as he glowered at the boy who mirrored his own height. "S-Sorry about that..." Not wanting to be yelled at or receive any form attack, the calligrapher immediately took a few steps back, tripping over his feet.

"Oh! Didi!" A feminine voice laced with a heavy accent exclaimed before someone lunged their body at the male who immediately fell down. Not to mention Naoki had continued to cling to him and wound up falling with them. "What great timing we have- I was just talking about you to Sir Kiyoshi! I never expected we would've met up so conveniently!" The boy being crushed under her weight writhed underneath her, his body not designed to handle the weight of another human being.

"Yes yes- that's wonderful Caroline-senpai. But for now could you _please_ get off of me. You're heavy." He tried lifting her off of him but with one arm out of commission the task proved to be quite difficult. "And I'm pretty sure we're killing Naoki-senpai." This seemed to capture the blonde's attention as she immediately removed herself from the floor and Dia's body.

"Naoki's with you? Oh joy!" _'Not for Naoki-senpai'_ "Where is she?" The magician asked eagerly, happy to see her dear friend after such a long time. Unfortunately, the reunion would have to be on hold for a bit. After being crushed by the two, Naoki continued to lay on the ground unconscious once Dia himself had stood up.

"...This wasn't my fault." Dia calmly states, as he tries to haul the girl up using his arm for support but failing to do so. "...Can I get a hand, please?" He directed this to Kiyoshi who stammered out a 'yes sir' before moving to aid him in holstering the girl up. Though it would've been a difficult task for them to manage by themselves, the two freshmen managed to hold her up with ease.

"Now that has been taken care of- let us continue our search for more people!" Caroline declared, marching off in another direction, clutching her top hat as it nearly fell off her head as she made her move. The two simply looked at each other before sighing as they followed after her.

 _'She's so irresponsible...' 'She certainly goes at her own pace..."_

Were the thoughts that passed their minds, as they trudged after her with an unconscious girl in the clutches- totally not looking suspicious.

As they took their path they failed to notice the individual whom had been watching from a cabinet in the hallway. Slowly, the door creaked open revealing an individual as they scrawled out of the cramped space. Staring after the group that had disappeared into the inky darkness of the corridor, they made their way into Dia's forgotten room. Once inside they retrieved the bamboo sword that had been left there throughout the entire ordeal.

"Hmmm..." They hummed, a small grin tearing at the ends of their lips as they practiced swinging it with as much force as they could muster- perhaps enough to crack a skull open. "It seems...I missed my chance... Though I'm sure there'll be another one." Humming to themselves, the mysterious thief slowly left the room whilst whistling the tune of an old nursery rhyme.

* * *

"Like I said, the scream came from this direction so we should obviously head this way." A male stated calmly, crossing his arms as his chestnut coloured eyes glared at a young lady several inches shorter than he almost menacingly. She seemed to be a bit put off by his glare, her gaze wandering elsewhere rather than his face. Or perhaps she was avoiding his gaze initially in order to keep from noticing the glare.

"No- I'm certain it came from this direction. My instincts _never_ lie!" She spoke, confidence enriched in her words as her body lurched back as she spoke, slowly increasing the distance between them. Though, they were fairly close considering how they were inside a hallway so it didn't exactly do much.

"Yeah, well that obviously isn't the case." He countered, rolling his eyes a bit, obviously referring to something else judging from the tone in his voice.

"Oh shush- that is a completely different matter. This is something completely unrelated!" Her words proved this to be the case, as she huffed loudly and turned away from him. Both were stubborn in their views and it didn't seem like they would be changing their minds any time soon.

"G-Guys..." Another individual spoke up, her soft voice making it's presence known and seeming to attract the current discussion to herself.

"Ay Asane, what do you think?" "Asane-san, what are your thoughts?" The arguing pair spoke simultaneously, turning their attention to their companion who had been silent for the most part while they debated on which direction they should go. The young man, believed that the scream they all heard had came from the left whereas the young lady states that it originated from the forward hallway and that they shouldn't change course. Asane simply stood there as they immediately glared at each other again for a brief moment before turning to her again.

"Left, right?" "Definitely forward, right?"

"U-Uhm..." The poor girl couldn't even voice her opinion before the pair started arguing once again.

"You know, I think it's great that we broke up!" The girl declared, briskly turning away from the pair as her long chocolate locks tied into a high ponytail swerved with her movements. She was heading down the path she desired before a scoff suddenly caused her to halt and she turned around staring at the male. Her large green eyes looked like a storm ready to boil over and her rosy cheeks looking more red than pink at this moment, perfectly contrasting with her rather pale skin. Her pink and blue hoodie covered with a few pins from her favorite shows clung to her body over the standard Asukawa uniform which consisted of a simply white dress shirt and a short blue checkered tie along with a skirt of the same color and pattern.

"It was _one_ date. _One_." He corrected before raking his hand through his messy black tresses, making his way down the left path. His retreating back clad in a light gray hoodie partnered with a pair of black sweatpants. As he took his leave he lifted his rather toned arm and waved farewell with his gloved hand before slipping it into his pocket.

 _ **Hitaka Yuushi (18) Senior in Asukawa School for Higher Learning**_

 _ **SHSL Fighter**_

"Same flipping difference!" She called back after him, hands making their way on her hips as she sighed. "Geez..." Continuing on her intended path, the girl retrieved a piece of a candy from her pink messenger bag. Unraveling it as she disappeared into the darkness, she popped the hard candy in her mouth.

 _ **Kiyomi Madoka (16) Junior in Asukawa School for Higher Learning**_

 _ **SHSL Matchmaker**_

Asane simply stood there for a moment, not entirely realizing what had just occurred in the span of a few short minutes. "A-Ah! Ki-Kiyomi-san! Hi-Hitaka-san! Come back!" She cried out for the two, standing where the hallway had split off before crumpling to the floor, defeated. "...We... shouldn't be splitting up..." She shook her head briskly, slapping her cheeks to get some vigor back in her and forcing a smile to tug at her lips.

"I shouldn't be moping about like this... Right? ...Right!" She answered herself, pumping a fist in the air. "I dunno which way to go so I'll just pick one at random." Standing back up, the auburn haired girl began humming a tune as she pointed to each hallway, using this as her method to pick which way to go.

 _ **Asane Komuro (15) Freshman in Saint Oracles**_

 _ **SHSL Acrobat**_

However, as she began the rather childish act she failed to notice the approaching figure that was coming from behind. Their footsteps were silent against the carpeted floor, cushioning each and every sound as they wobbled slightly toward it's target. A hand reached out once they were right behind her, standing right around her height. A sharp intake of breath could be heard before they spoke softly into the unsuspecting girl's ear.

 _"Aaaaa...saaaaaane... chaaaaaaan..."_ Their voice broke slightly between each syllable, causing the acrobat to freeze in her spot. When she felt the hand on her shoulder, all restraint she had broke.

"...Ah..."

 _"...Aaaaaaah...?"_ The voice repeated, the slight break appearing again.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" Without missing a beat, the frightened girl darted down the path Kiyomi chose, though, she broke off into a few flips almost reflexively as she did this. As quickly as the wind, she too was gone and deep in the inky darkness of the hallway.

"...Did...I break the flag that quickly...?" The figure asked itself, coughing a bit as she patted her chest a few times. "...I just wanted help finding the kitchen... I really need some water, my throat is killing me." They coughed a bit more, wobbling as they followed after the poor girl they scared the living daylights out of.

 _"Oh well, it was fun seeing Asane spazz out like that hehehehe!"_ A small smile tugged on their face, amused by the fright they had caused just moments ago.

* * *

Hitaka continuing down his path stopped every so often, looking over his shoulder to see if anyone had followed after him. Yet each time he looked the result was ultimately the same- nothing but darkness. Letting out a small sigh, he rubbed the back of his neck as he contemplated whether or not he should go back or not.

 _"Yeah...I probably should keep on going. Wouldn't want to make anything worse."_ He'd admit that he was a bit rude- okay _really_ rude to her and no matter what there wasn't a reason good enough for his behavior. This he truly believed and he was ready to apologize the first moment he saw her. "I should probably 'pologize to Asane too..." He murmured to himself as he turned around the corner, stopping when he came face to face with a pair of boys. They stopped in their rather slow pace to stare at him while he stared back, arching a brow at them.

"...What's up?" He greets, waving his hand a bit to the two.

"...The ceiling and then the second to sixth floor and then the roof." The reply came from the gentleman sporting a labcoat over his right shoulder. A gloved hand rested on his hip- though unlike Hitaka's his sported covering for his fingers. At this response, the fighter let out a short laugh, forcing a small smile as he wondered if that was his attempt of a joke.

"Right... So anyways, I don't suppose you two found yourselves in a weird place when you guys woke up, did you?" He inquired, recalling from his own experience just an hour ago. Rather than being stuck in an apartment he was tied to one of the toilets in one of the girl's public restroom facilities. Why the apartment complex even had those, no one ever bothered to question it. It wasn't bad per say, considering how they were far cleaner than restrooms you'd see in other public places like a library or a restaurant. The problem was the fact that he was found that way and effectively cursed at even though it wasn't his fault. A slight shudder made it's way down his spine as he recalled that incident, not wishing to encounter such a thing again.

"...No?" The response came from the other male sporting a pair of headphones and was taller than the two. A mop of medium-length black hair sat atop his head, covering the top portion of his eyes. Speaking of his eyes they were a green eyes stared down at Hitaka with a sort of questioning gaze as he wondered what he could be referring to. A pair of large headphones sat on his head with dials on both sides.

"Ah, sorry... Hello, my name is Izuna Kokomaru. A pleasure to meet you." Izuna sported black jacket- which his hands currently occupied the pockets of -zipped all the way up with a blue shirt peaking out from the top. He was feeling pretty casual considering he was wearing a pair of blue jeans and black sneakers as opposed to the school uniform for his affiliated school. Around his neck was a red scarf wrapped several times around him and forming a large lump of fabric on his shoulders as well as effectively covering a portion of his face. It was a surprise Hitaka could hear him with the accessory blocking out the volume of his already soft voice.

 _ **Izuna Kokomaru (18) Senior**_ _ **in Asukawa School for Higher Learning**_

 _ **SHSL Musician**_

"Ay, nice to meet you too man. The names Hitaka Yuushi." He stuck out a hand for him to shake but the musician simply stared at the hand, not moving to produce his own. "...Ooookay..."

 _"He seems really familiar though. Izuna was it...? Hmmm..."_

Putting the thought in the back of his mind, he turned to the other male, a larger smile adorning his face. "And your name?" No response. The male was gazing elsewhere, hand to his chin as he seemed to be in deep thought. It wasn't until moments later that he realized that words had been directed towards him and he looked over to Hitaka.

"...Mm, I'm sorry. I didn't quite catch that..." The male blinked lazily at Hitaka, waiting for him to speak. Like Izuna he too sported black hair albeit a tad bit darker- not like anyone could tell -tied in a short ponytail. Like a large portion of the population his eyes were brown though much darker than a lot of the others and seemed to have a downward tilt. Or maybe it was nonexistant- can't really tell to be sure. His attire consisted of a long sleeved light gray dress shirt though it was rolled up to his elbows, likely to keep them from getting wet from earlier. (Refer to end of last chapter) A blue tie was fastened snugly under the collar of his shirt, giving a bit of color to his outfit considering he sported a pair of black slacks and black leather shoes. Not to forget, he also had a lab coat useless hanging over his shoulder adding plenty to his style.

"Your name. Do you think I could get it?" Hitaka asked once more, keeping his smile as he did so. He wondered if this guy truly had been in such a daze that he really didn't notice what he said in this silence.

"...Oh. I see. Yes, you may. My name is Shirotani Kurose. And you are...?" Izuna smirked a bit, trying to keep from laughing at the aloof male's question. Hitaka's patience didn't seem like it was fading as he just nodded his head.

 _ **Shirotani Kurose (17) Senior in Valiance Elite High School**_

 _ **SHSL Anatomical Pathologist**_

"Nice to meet you Shiro! The names Hitaka Yuushi. Nice to meet'cha." Like with Izuna, he thrusted his hand out to the anatomical pathologist to which he immediately backed away slightly. Hitaka's eyes widened slightly, giving him a rather odd look with the smile plastered on his face.

"...If you'll excuse me," Shirotani states before briskly walking past the male, leaving him behind with a perplexing expression as he stood there with his hand out. Izuna couldn't contain his laughter any longer and wound up clutching his sides as jovial laughs and gasps escaped his lips. Surprisingly enough, his laughs sounded far louder than his speaking voice which proved to be rather interesting.

"...S-Sorry... That's just how he is. I don't know what he does when he leaves like that but it's pretty important since he does it every five minutes or so." The headphone wearing musician explains after regaining his composure, patting Hitaka's back. "Let's get a move on then, don't want to get left behind, right?" Giving him a light smile, Izuna began walking in the direction that Shirotani had just fled. Hitaka shook his head before muttering a soft 'okay' and trailing behind him.

 _"What an odd crowd."_

* * *

 _A/N_

 _And that makes 10/16 characters introduced. Whoop whoop. Only seven left to go- that includes the host for the game. c: I'm not too entirely sure if I want to do the remaining characters in the next chapter plus the host or if I want to wait until the chapter after it to introduce them. I'll leave it up to you guys- what do you think would be a better pace for the story? :O_

 _Anyways; it's review answering time!_

 _Chi-Mibuu- Bathrooms are always the best place for spooky encounters~ Or finding fun objects in the sink to escape a room. I kinda wanted to make it longer and creepier but...I think that would be an unwanted wall of text. I'm glad you thought everything transitioned smoothly- I shall try my best to ensure things stay that way. But I'm still a writing scrub so please berate me if I fail to do so. .v.'''' Secretly everyone is dead. Plot twist :OOOO_

 _Dreaded Prinny- Stahp, you're making me blush (/)/w/(\\) But no seriously, thank you so much for that. Even it fuels my ego it certainly makes me happy that my skills can be determined as excellent. I can only dread what you might say for this chapter._

 _Cappuccino Milk- Golden? Why thank you very much! My cheeks have now been deemed apple cheeks, thank you. I hope you like the characters presented here as well and the secret to the recipe is a dash of screams, a pinch of interruption and a tablespoon of Panic!_

 _OrangeLover10- Or maybe- just maybe. We're the same person but from different timelines. :O It could happen man- it could happen!_

 _Adzan- The magician never reveals her secrets c: Perhaps...perhaps she did it from the inside! :O :O :O That will be a reveal for some other time perhaps. When I come up with more intriguing awakening scenes and all that jazz. And huwah, I'm glad Kiyoshi was to your liking. w I really enjoyed writing him- along with the other characters. Sen-chan is definitely a little funny guy. And oh my god, your review reminded me of the little character thingy thing that was on his DIG-ID. So just a note to everyone, expect more of those little ones next chapter._

 _The OC Maker- ;v; Thank you so much ser. Unfortunately I am no longer accepting though we already had a heartfelt talk earlier. ;v;_

 _GinMerric- Oh wowie, my fic was referred? Thank you so much (I know who you are, expect roses in the male c:) I'm sorry to hear about writer's block assaulting you like that, I totally know that feel along with other authors and character creators in this realm we reside in. Thank you so much for reviewing and I'm glad it was to your tastes. I look forward to hearing from you more along with everyone else. Also my apologies on the closing of the submission phase- I really would've liked to at least see your OC ;v; And you may refer to me with whatever gender pronoun you please. Just no calling me an it please ;w;_

 _Also, if you submitters have anything to say about the portrayal of your characters regarding how off the mark I might have done so please do so in PM to keep others from getting details about how your character is supposed to be. ;P Character development is a secret until it happens. Okie dokie. Until next time!_


	5. Chapter 3: Are You An Angel?

_A/N_

 _Huuuuuuuuu- There were so many things I forgot to do last chapter (though no one seemed to notice thank goodness) And I was searching for a mistake I made for a good thirty minutes and I couldn't find it. ;n; Please save me. Just a small note- there will be some reintroductions of some character(s) along with the newer ones being introduced. Also, thank you very much for the reviews from the last chapter- I hope I listened to your hearts (read: thoughts) properly and this chapter reflects that. I'll also be answering some reviews regarding that just below- well part of some probably._

 _GinMerric- Tedious, gotcha. Hopefully this chapter will be a little bit eased up on the descriptive details- I tend to write a lot of those whenever I can since people often tell me I don't provide enough description when I do fics like this OTL. Thank you very much for your input and this chapter won't seem as tedious as the last. ^-^_

 _OrangeLover10- Hmmm... I think I sort of get what you're referring to (I even went back to space a part out a bit in the last chapter) and I definitely hope that I fixed things-ish in this chapter. I'm more so used to writing things in accordance to how things would move so there's not that many breaks between things. I shall definitely take note of this for the future, thank you very much for that. ^-^_

 _That's all for that- expect the rest at the same spot and same time. I just realized, that's a mistake for a second date. Orz. ;n; A-Anyways, happy reading. Review, PM or scream your thoughts outloud. I value your criticisms and praise and hopefully I properly hear them out!_

* * *

 ** _Chapter Three: Are You An Angel...?_**

Caroline hummed enthusiastically, leading her group of underclassmen into the inky darkness of impenetrable doom. Well, perhaps it wasn't doom but it certainly didn't seem like she knew where they were going. ...Or if they were even going anywhere in particular. Naoki had yet to awaken though it was understandable seeing as how it was such a short time ago that she had been rendered unconscious. About...five minutes perhaps? Obviously though, this was the least of the group's worries. Or rather, Caroline's.

"Carol, where are we going...?" Kiyoshi asked, adjusting his hold on the unconscious writer as he trudged behind the blonde vixen. He wouldn't say it but he was certainly getting tired from holding the poor girl seeing as how his body seemed to lean forward quite a bit.

"I have no idea sir Kiyoshi," was her response, causing the two boys to stop in their tracks, staring at her figure with exasperated looks. Noticing their footsteps had stopped, she herself had paused as well to look over her shoulder, wondering what was wrong. "...? Are you two...perhaps lost?"

"Yes! We are lost!" Dia exclaimed, slapping his palm to his face before pinching the bridge of his nose. "Caroline-senpai. You've been a student here for the past two years and you have no idea where we are going. _Please,_ explain to me how you got us lost. _Please_." Although Dia wasn't exactly as tired as his male companion over there he was certainly growing quite irritated with his not so helpful upperclassman.

She however, simply blinked before turning around with her finger pointed to the ceiling. "Have no fear," she declared, "I am certain that this way will lead us to exactly where we want to be! If I can recall correctly... Sir uhm... What's-His-Face should be down this way."

 _'Is she bullshitting this now?' 'Ahhh... I want to lie down, my body can't take much more of this... Cry cry.'_

With her somewhat encouraging words, or maybe they were the opposite, the group continued down their path once again. For another five or so paces until Caroline halted, resulting in the trio behind her to collide into her.

"What is it Carol?" Kiyoshi asked, tempted to drop to the ground and begin resting right then and there seeing as how she stopped. "...Is something the matter...?" He tried to lean off to the side to catch a glimpse of whatever might have caused her to stop but couldn't really see anything from his point of view since the lighting in the halls were still quite dim. _'...How can she even see anything in this dim lighting...?'_

She leaned back, turning her head with a dangerous smile tugging at her lips as she pressed a finger to her mouth. "I've found something interesting." Her soft brown eyes glinting a bit with excitement. The two boys were confused by this until they heard a rather discomforting sound.

 _Draaaaaaaag... Draaaaaaaaag..._

The sound of something being dragged was approaching the group, and judging from the sound it was getting closer and closer with every moment. This certainly sent a chill down both the boy's spines with Kiyoshi shaking a bit as he cowered behind Caroline a bit. Dia seemed to be maintaining his composure quite well, simply taking a gulp as he stared down the hall, waiting for something to appear.

 _"...Help...me..."_ Croaked out a voice followed by more sounds of dragging. This certainly didn't help with the setting that they were currently in, though it was good that Naoki was still rendered unconscious or from the couturier's memory they'd be going deaf as well. _"...Please...someone..."_ The voice croaked out again, sounding a bit louder as the pacing of the dragging grew a bit louder. Although it was faint and it could have been something else, the group could see the faint outline of a hand just a few meters ahead of them.

"Wh-What is th-that...?" Kiyoshi whispered, choosing this moment to actually look at what was approaching them. He gulped, his brown eyes focused on what his mind perceived as a hand. Slowly, another one was produced from the inky darkness, pulling itself closer and revealing tussled gray tresses. In the next moment, the head lifted up revealing a face contorted in pain before shouting the next words.

 _"Someone please, help me!"_

Kiyoshi's face paled. Never in his fifteen years of life had he ever encountered something like this- a scene he thought only existed in horror movies. In the next moment, the blonde calligrapher was on the ground, passed out purely from fright and leaving Dia to support Naoki all by his lonesome.

"H-Hey! D-Daigo, pull yourself together!" He shouted, struggling a bit with Naoki but he managed to keep her from falling. Caroline continued to stand there with a perplexed expression on her face as she watched the figure drag themselves closer with each passing moment. "Caroline-senpai, what are you doing? Hurry up and run away- in the other direction!" This seemed to catch her attention as she shifted her gaze to the boy who was gently setting Naoki down beside Kiyoshi. If you looked at her now, it'd seem like she had fallen asleep rather than passing out from nearly being crushed to death.

"...? But it's just-" She was cut off before she could get her words out, Dia taking a step in front of her.

"No but's! Listen, I get that you're from England and all but in _Japan_ when a creepy figure of an elderly person is _dragging their body_ towards you, that means run and don't look back!" He gripped his hands together and stretched his arms out in front of him as though he were holding a sword. It wasn't until a few moments after the action he realized that he didn't have his bamboo sword and immediately began looking around. "Where did I leave that thing?! Crap!"

"Dia, it's okay. It's just-"

"No! Listen, just run away already! God why are you so _dense_!" Throwing his hands up in the air, the raven haired boy was beginning to give up on the sanity of his senior companion. "If you want to get killed by some demonic elderly ghost then I don't care! Nope, I don't care what happens to you not one bit. Nope, nope!" He crossed his arms, shaking his head as he spoke though it seemed rather than telling her that he didn't care it was more like he was trying to convince himself that he didn't.

"...Dense...?" Caroline questioned, tilting her head to the side. "I don't really get why you're overreacting but there's really nothing to be scared of!" She stated with a large smile and although it was quite a refreshing one at that, it only seemed to fuel Dia's misplaced anger. He gripped her shoulders- although a bit delicately -and shook her a bit.

"Caroline-senpai. You're _underreacting_ and-" At this moment, the existence they had forgotten had found itself in their personal space, gripping tightly to Caroline's boots. Looking up towards the two, the exhausted expression of a rather familiar face spoke once again, this time in a much more clearer tone than before.

"... _Please_ , I am begging... Get it to shut up..." Begged the male, holding up his DIG-ID and showing the pair the miniature holographic person standing on the electronic. More importantly, the digital male appeared to be singing quite- which they somehow failed to notice earlier due to Dia's hasty panicking. Once he was being displayed in front of people, the holographic child immediately ceased before his pixels disappeared into nothing.

"Senny! I knew this was the way to your apartment. I'm glad to see you're alright! See, Didi? I told you I knew where I was going!" Caroline immediately worked on helping her fellow Silver Wing up with assistance from Dia. He let out a groan, raking a hand through his messy gray tresses as he slid his ID into his pocket and turning it off.

"...This isn't the way to my apartment. I live on the third floor." Senri corrected before taking a moment to look around the dim hallway. "And as far as I can tell, this is not the direction of the stairs or elevator."

"Oh. Oops! Then I suppose it was my magical instincts that brought us together like this. I sensed that we would be able to find you going down this way- even with the doubts of my underclassmen following after me -I knew we would run into you... eventually!" The magician dramatically declared, clutching her top hat to her chest as she looked off into the distance, though it was really just the ceiling. "Anyways, you remember Sir Didi, right?"

"Can we not call me that?" Dia interjected briefly though his words went right over their heads.

"One of the Silver Wing freshmen for this year? Oh, we also found mistress Naoki too!" She gestured to the girl lying down on the floor with her black-framed glasses sitting off to the side, likely taken off by Dia. Senri simply glanced at her before giving the magician a pointed look to which she simply smiled and tilted her head in question to his look.

"What did you do to her this time?" He asked, crossing his arms with his hip jutted out slightly.

 _'This time?!'_ Dia had a troubled expression on his face as he looked at the form of Naoki, giving her a silent prayer as he feared what sort of things could have happened to her. At this moment, the writer decided to stir from her slumber.

"Mmm..." Came the soft groan as she sat up a bit, stretching her body out as she began rubbing her eyes. "Hnnng... How long was I asleep...?" She murmured to herself, letting out a soft yawn as she began patting around for her glasses, finding them quickly and sliding them onto her face. "Did I fall asleep on the floor again...? And why does my head hurt...?" She asked herself, as she retrieved the red-backpack that had been sitting on her shoulders- and likely the reason why she seemed to be so heavy for the boys.

"Good morning mistress Naoki!" Caroline greeted, immediately pulling the girl into a rather tight hug as she sat on the ground next to her. "I'm glad that you're alright!" The other girl froze, quickly recognizing the voice belonging to the very individual she seemed to have quite the bad history with. A forced smile tugged at her lips as she continued to dig through her bag and producing a bottle of water.

"Good to see you too, Caitlyn..." Naoki replied, earning a bout of laughter from the girl who simply passed off the incorrect name as a mere joke. "Sorry, but could I get a moment to drink my water please?" She asked the girl, gesturing to the bottled substance in her hand. Nodding her head, Caroline quickly complied before chatting up a storm to which she simply received concise responses.

"I really don't like her." Senri suddenly said, catching Dia's attention as he pulled out a cigarette and lighting it immediately. Inhaling a bit then exhaling off into a direction away from them, he turned to Dia with the cigarette hanging out of his mouth. "Do you know what I mean Kobayashi-san?" He asked, glancing over to the two girls in which his eyes followed.

"Uh... No...not really..." The couturier arched a brow, slightly confused on what he was talking about though on the inside he was more concerned about other matters. _'Caroline-senpai said he was a super nice cool kind of guy if I remember correctly. But-But he flipping smokes and he doesn't like her? No, he said he really doesn't like her! Or maybe he's talking about Naoki-senpai... No way, he's definitely talking about Caroline-senpai! She's crazy and lacks any sense of danger not to mention she seems to have done frightening things to Naoki-senpai. I thought they were friends! This is giving me a headache...'_

"...I see... Well, you'll figure it out sooner or later, probably. But, that girl is _really_ annoying." He stated one more time before letting some ash from his cigarette fall into one of the trashcans that were placed periodically in the hallways.

 _'No...that isn't even dislike. This is pure hatred!'_

"Anyways, I think we should get going. There's probably other people around and I'm still not to keen on what exactly is going on." As he declares this to the group, he holsters Kiyoshi up with his shoulders, already beginning to make his move. Dia trudges, his mind currently occupied by the short and awkward conversation he just had with the male and Caroline immediately follows after him with a bit of pep in her step. Naoki, however continued to remain seated as she watched them walk away.

"...Hmph!" Standing up, the girl turned on her heel and began walking in a different direction altogether, clutching her bag tightly to her chest. "Good riddance!" And so, they parted ways for now.

* * *

"...Maybe that was a bit childish of me..." Kiyomi murmured softly to herself as she continued down her path. Every now and again she would look over her shoulder expectantly, having hopes that the boy she had just argued with would appear so they could make up but...such an appearance didn't occur. How many times had she stopped now, around twelve times now? It's not like she wanted to fight in the first place- she never finds any sort of solace in doing such a thing -but he just made her so upset.

"But why does he have to point that out every time we get into a disagreement!" She shouts to herself, clutching her head as she shakes her body side to side rather vigorously. "Yuushi you idiot..." Kiyomi mutters, pulling out another piece of candy and tossing it into her mouth. During her walk she had been consuming her candy at a rather fast pace, leaving a nice trail of candy wrappers behind her.

 _"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"_

"Ah...?" She repeated the sound of the crescendoing yell that seemed to have originated from behind. Turning around she found Asane running at a rather fast pace with her eyes shut. "A-Asa-!" Kiyomi couldn't finish calling out the girl's name before she collided into her, sending them both tumbling into the ground and then into a wall.

"Owwww..." The acrobat groaned, rubbing her head before realizing she had ran into- or bulldozed -someone. "A-Ah! I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going a-and there was a scary thing a-and... ...I'm so sorry!" Her auburn tresses, now currently a mess, moved wildly as she spoke due to her rapid movements. Once she opened her eyes, revealing them to be a pretty golden color, she noticed that there wasn't anyone around which certainly perplexed her. Tilting her head to the side, she glanced around once more yet her results were the same.

"Huh...? Didn't I run into someone...?" She asked herself, a bit confused. She was a bit certain that she had ran into another body before colliding with the floor and the wall. Maybe she was mistaken?

 _"Hrrmrphmhm...!"_ Came a muffled voice along with some intense fidgeting originating from beneath her. Looking down, the auburn haired girl saw that her short clad bottom was occupying the breathing space of Kiyomi's face. Immediately, she stood up and helped the poor match maker up while apologizing profusely once again.

"I'm so sorry about that Madoka-senpai! Terribly sorry!" She repeated time and time again, bowing repeatedly despite the older girl stating that it was perfectly fine. "You're not hurt are you? If you are I'm _really really_ sorry!"

"I'm perfectly fine Asane, nothing to worry about, see?" To prove her point, the girl flexed her right arm and tapped her muscles, or lack of, to show that she was in tip top condition. "More importantly, are you okay? You were running from something weren't you? What exactly happened? ...And is Hitaka with you or did he leave you behind?" She asked, looking down the hallway Asane had just came from, standing on her tip toes as though that would actually change in what she was able to see in the dim lighting.

"Ah no... He went the other way..." She answered, noticing that Kiyomi looked a tad bit disheartened at that but as quickly as it came the emotion fled. Without thinking, the next words flew out of her mouth. "Does that happen between you two often?"

Immediately, the girl's mood seemed to worsen as shrouds of gloom appeared around her as she nodded meekly in response.

"Oh. Uhm..." Uncertain of what to do now, Asane was about to suggest going back to go find him but her suggestion was caught in her throat. Down the hall she had just escaped from, a figure was heading towards them, wobbling with every move it made.

 _"Aaaaaaasaaaanecchiiiii..."_ Came the familiar and creepy voice of the assailant she had tried to escape and lead her into this situation. Immediately, she stiffed up and held an arm, pointing at the outline of the figure.

"Ki-Ki-Ki-Kiyomi..." Asane called out to her companion, hoping she heard the voice as well, however she seemed to be in her own world. As if that was a switch to set off whoever was calling for her, the figure began moving at a faster pace and the rampant sound of footsteps against carpet echoed through the hall. With every passing moment, it seemed that they were getting faster and faster.

"Ah...I really should apologize, shouldn't I..." Kiyomi murmured, setting her phone onto the floor as well as her make-up kit. "And who knows when we'll run into each other again- and shoot! I look like a mess!" She certainly was in her own world, despite being just a few feet away.

"Kiyomi!" Asane tried calling out one more time but again, to no avail.

 _"Asane!"_ The voice cried out once again, a blur hopping on the girl and wrapping it's arms around her for a tight hug. "Geez! I was so worried about you when you just upped and ran! I thought I broke the flag and everything but you didn't run away this time so everything's safe!" The so-called creepy figure was nothing more than a young lady around the height of the acrobat. She seemed to know the girl quite well judging from how affectionately she hugged the girl to the point it was painful.

"Oh! Emi!" The fear that had once formed on her face faded away into a mix of excitement and relief upon the realization of who exactly this was. "That was you? You really scared me- meanie! I thought a crazy serial killer was going to drag me away or something. And your voice sounded really manly- how do you do that?" Emi stared at her blankly with large chestnut eyes from behind her turquoise spectacles before tilting her head in response.

"...What do you mean?"

 ** _Kubarachi Emi (16) Junior in Saint Oracles  
_**

 ** _SHSL Ultimate Otome Game Maker_**

"That! That voice you're doing!" Asane stated, pointing at the girl, intrigue settling on her face. "It was so unsettling when I first heard it but now it sounds kind of cool. Did you take voice acting lessons to be able to do that?"

"...Nope!" Emi's smile grew larger as she continued speaking in her rather croaky voice, coughing slightly. "This is only cause my throat is so dry. I wanted some help finding the Kitchen since I got lost trying to get there in the first place. I'm in dire need water, do you accept the quest?" She tugged on the ends of her yellow sweater that bore the print of some sort of anime-styled school girl, it was rather cute if you ignore the fact that she was an alien. The way she was fidgeted slightly was similar to that of a rather shy character asking for a favor which also looked rather adorable.

"Sure! Now that you mention it, I'm kind of hungry too..." The acrobat was pulled into another hug as the easily excitable girl bounced up and down, declaring that the flag had been set. As she did this, the small ponytail her black hair was bounced with her motion and the suspenders she wore started slide off her shoulders. "Kiyomi! We're going to the kitchen- do you want to come with?"

The match maker looked up from the small compact mirror she was gazing into, finding it difficult to adjust her makeup in the lighting in the hall and nodded her head. "Sure! Oh, hello there! Is she a friend of yours Asane?" She hadn't even noticed the girl's arrival, being far to devoted to trying to touch up her appearance after her little fall. Kiyomi gave Emi a small smile to which was returned with a blank stare for a few moments until the girl looked away, making no move to return the greeting.

"Ah, yeah! This is Emi. Emi, this is Kiyomi. I ran into her while I was wandering about, she's super nice!" Asane failed to notice the small interaction between the two- or the nonexistent one -as she introduced them to each other. Emi glanced over at the girl once more before muttering a quick, 'nice to meet you' that Kiyomi barely managed to hear. "Sorry, she's a bit shy around people she doesn't know well but once she gets to know you, she's like a fluffy kitten on a sugar rush."

"Oh, no it's fine. I totally understand." Kiyomi assured, giving the girl another smile. "It's nice to meet you too Emi. I'm sure we'll get along well!" Stuffing her makeup kit back into it's orderly position and back in her bag, the match maker stared at her phone for a brief moment before ultimately deciding to just toss in her bag as well.

 _'I'm sure we'll meet up later...'_

"Everyone ready?" Asane asked, receiving a curt nod from Emi who grasped onto her arm rather tightly as though she'd float away if she'd let go. Once Kiyomi's messenger bag was slung over her shoulder, the match maker nodded as well, walking on the other side of the acrobat as they made their way to where the kitchen might have been. As their retreating backs slunk into the inky darkness of the hallway, a faint glow appeared in the intersection that they were just at.

 _"Hmmmm... It seems like everyone is on the move right now... Should I follow through with the preparations now...?"_ A voice spoke aloud, belonging to a floating figure. A girl most likely judging from the sound of the voice but it could be a male. _"Let's get this party started! With a nice...explosion...! Ahahahahaha!"_ Laughing rambunctiously, the faint glow that seemed to be emitting the voice faded away, leaving the small area in the dim lighting of the lights overhead.

* * *

 _The past two months were going pretty well. My grades were superior than my classmates, as expected, and I had a pool of friends whom I deemed adequate to be in my presence. Or rather, they followed me around after defending them from pesky delinquents who can't seem to grasp hold of their place in this school But, as the days went by those people who were once worthy slowly disconnected themselves from me. Not that I mind nor did I care, even when they became my enemies since they were easy to deal with._

 _I mean, they were getting harassed by those spineless delinquents, what would I have to worry about?_

 _But you know, I wasn't exactly concerned about that. Was it my attitude? Did I seem to bossy or did they perceive my mannerisms as being too rotten for their tastes? Or maybe I appeared to be hypocritical to them compared to the delinquents I offered them protection from. The bell rang, signalling for the next class to begin and I pushed the thoughts to the back of my mind. That day was supposed to be a normal one._

 _But why can't I recall what occurred afterwards..._

"So, what exactly are you? An A.I.?" _That_ boy asked as he daringly leaned over my shoulder, grayish-blue eyes staring down at a small figure standing on top of my personal DIG-ID. The little figure looked like a girl with ivory tresses and piercing aquamarine eyes, her little head nodding to his question. I could still feel him using me as some sort of arm rest and I was this close to socking him in the jaw.

"Something like that... I think... Though in this day and age I think it's accurate to say an artificial existence..." Her voice sounded like that of a small child, rather soft and a bit on the high pitched side. She was wearing a uniform but it didn't seem to identify with any of the big four schools in the area. Perhaps it was just designed that way to be cute?

Well, it was really cute, I'll be honest.

"Oooh! So are there more of you? Am I going to get one too?" Another voice inquired as the owner began leaning over my other shoulder as well, though this voice was female. Unlike the boy, she was far more interested in having a copy of this...thing whereas knowing him he was far more interested in the existence of it. I let out a heavy sigh laced with thick irritation before turning slightly to glare at the boy who so brazenly situated himself on my right shoulder. Noticing my gaze on him, he flashed me one those stupid toothy smiles as though I wasn't feeling the least bit annoyed with his actions.

"Geek, remove yourself from my shoulder before I remove you myself." The command was short and laced with seriousness though, he didn't seem to quite catch that bit as he simply waggled his eyebrows in response, his smile widening.

" _Shino-_ geek my darling senpai." _Strike one._ "Calling me a flat out geek hurts my feelings, though I don't mind if it's you trampling all over them." _Strike two._ As he said this, he held the audacity to wink flirtatiously at me before ducking my fist that was directed at his face. That was strike three and four. The other girl occupying the space on the other side of her stuck her tongue out and feigned vomiting in disgust at his flirty actions. You and me both.

"Please, not the face Kimiko." He pleaded with false desperation before letting out a few bouts of laughter. He adjusted the small rectangular spectacles hanging on his face that had gotten crooked from the fast paced movements. He didn't exactly carry out the name of Silver Wing with his appearance- his light brown hair being cut obscenely short at the back of his neck and along the sides not to mention there was an odd fringe that just kind of existed. His clothes weren't anything better, just a plain navy short sleeved shirt over a longer black one. His jeans looked like something you would find in a trash can judging by how roughed up and worn they looked. His boots were okay- just _okay,_ he can have that much at least.

 _ **Kimiko Mayu (17) Senior in Silver Wing Eastern Academy**_

 _ **SHSL Movie Director**_

"Hmph. To this day it still surprises me that Silver Wing even accepted someone like you. You lack any sort of refined qualities that brings the school it's fine name." A flicked a bit of my short raven locks which I had perfectly styled in a refined bob. "Please take your rather repulsive nature and sultry desires elsewhere Hiromoto, they're not wanted here."

 _ **Ken Hiromoto a.k.a. Shino-Geek (17) Junior in Silver Wing Eastern Academy**_

 _ **SHSL Hacker**_

"Yeah, go away Hiromoto! Buzz off!" The girl to my right chimed in, waving him off to which he responded by childishly sticking his tongue out. This then led to her sticking her tongue out as well and they wound up keeping those expressions for a good moment or so until I decided to intervene.

Patting her head, I gently grasped her chin and turned her face so she would be looking into my eyes. "Hotaru..." I whispered her name softly, staring into teal colored eyes with my bright yellow ones as I patted her head gently.

"It's not very lady-like for you to engage in such activities. You shouldn't be stooping to his level like that, even if you are from Asukawa, a lady should be much more refined. Okay?" She nodded her head obediently, effectively being captured by the trance I had set on her.

As expected.

 _ **Hotaru Amemori (15) Freshman in Asukawa School for Higher Learning**_

 _ **SHSL Archer**_

"And as for you Hiromoto," I briskly turned my attention to the hacker, pointing a finger at him somewhat aggressively. "How about _you_ go out and find some of the others? There was a scream earlier so we know there's more people out and about. Please, make yourself useful." I shooed him away with my hand, but he simply shook his head and remained his spot. As disobedient as ever.

"I don't wanna do something lame like a search-party, man." He huffed, crossing his arms before glancing over at the other remaining individual in the room. "Why not have Taro do it? He's not even doing anything productive! He's just sitting there trying to be cool and get all the attention." The thick browed boy glanced over in our direction upon hearing his name being spoken but he gave no words, simply gazing at us from afar. He was dressed quite professionally, sporting his navy blue dress shirt with his sleeves rolled up the elbows. Not all messily like but neatly rolled up to his elbows- shows he has _some_ class. He also wore a pair of dark brown dress pants with some black dress shoes. The most notable thing on him was the rainbow tie clip attached to his white tie. Though I wonder how I could notice that in this lighting.

 _ **Taro Hiragaki (17) Senior in Asukawa School for Higher Learning**_

 _ **SHSL Economist**_

"No. He hasn't gotten on my nerves yet and you're not helping with your complaining. Hmph, why can't you be more like Kobayashi?" I sighed softly, bringing up one of this year's incoming freshmen. A tactic that would often upset Ken whenever I would compare him to the couturier.

"Wh- Bu- Urgh! How rude madam! Good day!" He turned on his heel, making his way to the exit of the lobby. However, as he was departing he seemed to slip on absolutely nothing and fell to the floor with a loud crash. His fringe, that I'm often tempted to just cut off, swayed sighed to side as he sat there on the ground which earned a few chuckles from Hotaru at the rather impish scene.

"...Excuse me." With that, he stood back up and fixed his glasses before he finally took his leave. Taro simply pinched the bridge of his nose at the boy, finding the actions he made as stupid as I did.

Well, it's nice that we have something we can agree on.

"About time he left. I felt like intelligence was dropping with every second he was breathing." I sighed, twiddling with a strand of my golden highlights, playing with it between my index finger and thumb.

"Yeah! But that was really funny when he left. He went- swoop! Right to the floor!" Hotaru mused cheerfully, plopping down on the space next to me on the couch. "But anyways, what about that thing on your ID? The- uhm... Artificial Ectoplasm?"

"Artificial Existence." The forgotten figure corrected, clearing her throat. "I am to serve as a guide for whoever's DIG-ID I was downloaded to, and that happened to be yours Miss Mayu. I am pleased to make your acquaintance." She did a small curtsy with her greeting and it was absolutely adorable. It's hard to believe that this little thing would be all mine. But I wonder, does she have a name. However, before I could ask she disappeared and the device shut off.

"...Huh?" I examined my ID only to see the flashing low-battery sign on it and huffed in irritation. "Oh come on... I didn't even grab my charger when I left my room..." Sliding the now useless device into the right pocket of my black dress pants. I unbuttoned my white dress shirt and loosened the maroon scarf surrounding my neck, finding it to be bit hotter all of a sudden. I cast my gaze over to Taro before looking over to Hotaru, finding her humming as she tossed a dart up in the air a couple of times.

"Say, Hotaru." She caught the dart with two fingers without sustaining an injury before looking over at me with a curious expression. "You and Taro go to Asukawa, correct? Is he always as...silent as he is now?" It bothered me a bit, a person wasn't usually that quiet were they? Unless they were plotting something and it was downright suspicious that he didn't bother socializing with Hotaru. Though I suppose one doesn't necessarily have to like someone from the same school but it is a bit odd to not talk about this situation with them. All four of us waking up here in the lobby was certainly odd and it was even more bizarre that the hallways' lighting was quite dim. Furthermore, the front door wouldn't budge no matter how hard we tried to open it.

"Mmmm... I'm not sure! We don't have any classes together but...when I see him at lunch he's always sitting by himself." The archer quickly begins explaining, playing with the dart in her hand as she spoke. "And my friends think he's a bit on the scary side but I don't really know. He doesn't seem all that mean. Maybe he's misunderstood like a giant teddy bear?"

"...Hmm... I see..." I didn't say anything more about the subject, quickly losing interest. Well, I suppose it's not as odd anymore seeing as how he's always like that but I still feel uneasy. I was brought out of my thoughts by the sound of footsteps echoing out from the hallway Hiromoto had just left through, though they didn't sound like his clumsy footfalls.

 _"Mayu-senpai?"_ Called out a rather familiar voice- no, I knew precisely who's voice that was. I stood up and strode over to the entryway to greet my favorite underclassman. However, he wasn't there and the lights in the hallway seemed strangely dimmer. Perplexed by this, I cautiously took a step forward to see if I could find Kobayashi but it was far darker than I expected. Not to mention the approaching footsteps had fallen silent.

"Kobayashi?" I called out to him, hoping he'd respond. The uneasy feeling that had nestled in my stomach had started to grow stronger as I stood there, waiting for the boy to give me some sort of reply or signal that he was there.

"Kimiko? Is everything okay?" Hotaru called out from her seated position in the lobby. I turned back to see her sitting upside down with her back on the floor and her legs in the air, kicking rhythmically. It was a good thing she was wearing her cargo shorts, it would be bad if she had decided on wearing a dress or a skirt. But...where were her shoes. I didn't notice at first but she was certainly barefoot, waggling her toes as she moved her feet about. Her tan jacket was also probably getting dirty too...poor thing.

"Yes- everything is fine. I thought I heard something," I called back, turning to see if anything had appeared in the short moment that I looked away. However, this was my fatal mistake.

A bamboo sword had been thrust into my face from seemingly nowhere, nearly coming in contact with my right eye. I simply stood there, fear and surprise settling on my features. Although it was obvious that the sword belonged to Kobayashi- from the cute little bow that was attached to it -the wielder was not the owner. He would never point it at someone's face nor would he dare to do it to someone he knew or wasn't dangerous. The perpetrator's face was made clear when the lights seemed to have regained their spark and began brightening up the hallway quite well.

However, my attacker simply wore a fox mask, keeping me from getting a view of their face.

 _"Booo... Mayu-senpai, you didn't scream..."_ The owner of the voice certainly sounded like Kobayashi- no precisely like him. Was it him? Was he really trying to play a trick like this?

"Ah! The lights are brighter now!" Hotaru exclaimed, likely referring to the lights in the apartment's lobby. The sound of her getting up was made apparent followed by soft foot falls. "Oh? Yuuji?" She asked, popping out from behind me. Wait, Yuuji?

The individual, named Yuuji let out a laugh that was certainly unfamiliar to my ears, but I could identify him as male. Hand raised, he slowly removed the ornate fox mask that covered his appearance and revealing a rather irritating smirk and his mischievous brown eyes glinting in mild disappointment. He raked a hand through his raven locks and letting out a sigh as he positioned the sword against his shoulder.

"Dang it Hotaru, you ruined my prank," He huffed lightly, his smirk still tugging at his lips. Oh how badly I wanted to smack him right now. "It was gonna get good and I was hoping to strike some terror in the legendary Kimiko." He swung the bamboo sword around, wielding it quite well, before striking it into the ground before him.

 _ **Yuuji Nakamura a.k.a. C.C. (17) Junior in Asukawa School for Higher Learning**_

 _ **SHSL ?**_

"Sorry!" Hotaru apologized, drawing out the syllables as she did this. But on a more important note, just who is he? I've never heard of anyone by that name. Perhaps he's a freshman or maybe a transfer student? Hmm... I eyed him up and down, scrutinizing every detail of him. He was dressed rather plainly, white button up shirt and some gray khakis. Perfectly sounds like an Asukawa student, they can't match us in anything after all.

But I wonder, how did he get his hands on Kobayashi's sword? He'd never let that thing out of his sight unless he was leaving it in his room or something. Did this Yuuji guy do something to him? I found myself glaring at him as he spoke with Hotaru, the two laughing jovially as they conversed. Well, one thing is for sure, I don't like him at all.

 _"Brrrrrrrrrriiiiing! Brrrrrrrrrrriiiiing! Test one two! Ah- Ah! Monkeys!"_ A voice broke out, seeming to come from Hotaru's and Yuuji's pockets. The two pulled out their DIG-ID's finding that the voice was coming from both of them. Was it an announcement from their headmaster? It was the same voice after all, so it wouldn't exactly be odd.

 _"Could all residents in the apartment complex come to the Lobby? I repeat, could all residents in the apartment complex come to the lobby for a very important meeting. It is mandatory! That is all!"_ The voice cut off after that, signalling the end of the message. What was that all about...?

"Hey, what's that?" Yuuji asked, pointing into the lobby. I wasn't quite sure how to answer that question. Inside the lobby just across from Taro was a bright blue mass of light. I couldn't exactly say what it was aside from light. As we stared at it, it slowly began to take form the form of a person as it descended, feet forming at the bottom of it. A fully clothed girl- around our age stood there where she had just appeared out of thin air. Her eyes opened, revealing bright blue eyes as she gazed around the room.

 ** _"Oh! We have some early birds- don't we?"_** Came the amused voice that we had just heard on the announcement. She stretched her arms, groaning a bit as though she had just woken up from a long nap.

 _ **"Well, don't just stand around! You guys might as well take a seat for the exciting news! Oh, but don't expect me to tell ya'll just yet. We gotta wait for the others, mmkay?"**_

Others...she said... What exactly is going on...? And...And... Who _is_ she?

* * *

With Caroline's group, they were immediately heading towards the Lobby or at least trying to after receiving the announcement. Though...things weren't exactly going too well.

"Caroline-senpai, we are _lost!"_ Dia pointed out for the umpteenth time, huffing lightly as he leaned against a nearby wall for support. The blonde stubbornly shook her head whereas Senri simply stared at the two with a limp and unconscious Kiyoshi in his arms.

"Nonsense! We are simply misplaced!" She declared with a bit too much positivity and the smile she adorned on her face certainly didn't help. Face palming his now red forehead, the couturier groaned in exasperation at the sheer incapability of his senior. Not to mention Senri didn't seem intent on helping him out.

 _'Senri-senpai. I know you absolutely hate Caroline-senpai but please, save me from her madness!'_

At this moment, Kiyoshi finally began to stir in the journalist's arms. His vision was a bit hazy and the sudden bright lights in the hallway certainly didn't help. He was confused on where he was presently. Senri looked down at him and in his perspective, the gray haired journalist looked like an angel with the bright light from the lamp overhead making some sort of hall around his head.

"Are...are you an angel...?" The calligrapher whispered, reaching up to the male who stared at him with a blank look. In sheer seconds, Daigo was on the ground again, attracting the concerns of Dia and Caroline whilst his assailant simply stood off to the side, whistling nonchalantly.

Dia has made a mental note to never be rendered unconscious around the other male.

* * *

 _A/N_

 _Oh my goodness I didn't think I would finish this today. I didn't even think I'd start this today Jesus Christ. Sorry if some parts seemed to be lacking in the aesthetic details. I really didn't want to overload you guys we details again and- I am sorry for making this chapter so long ;n;. I-I really needed to bring back Senri so he wouldn't be forgotten again- and even then he didn't get so much screen time -and I needed to do Asane's aesthetic details which I didn't forget last chapter. Hyuuu. B-But we get to see a glimpse of the host though so that's a plus, right? :,D If you guys would like me to, I can do an update dedicated to everyone's aesthetic details so you guys aren't like- WOAH, THAT'S WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE? WOAH! or something. Also credit goes out to Kimiko's creator for her little introduction uwu;;_

 _Note: Hotaru's talent as the SHSL Archer is referring to dart throwing- I just went with that since it was a more official way of saying that ;;_

 _A-Anyways, here's the rest of review replies. I'll also try not to make the next chapter as long as this one. ;; I think I'll also open a Free Time Poll as well._

 _CrimsonSkyTamer- I think you mean Niineechan, I have no defined gender silly. Shirotani was the only one who's family had the money to send him to Valiance. Everyone else went to the other schools cause Valiance was too mainstream since everyone wanted to get in. c: Just kidding~ Ship? I don't ship anything. That means bias as the author. I have no bias about ships ;;; I am shipping nothing. ;;;;;;;;; Except maybe death :D I ship it by cargo ships in large hulls._

 _Cappuccino Milk- I am going to nickname you Cappy c: If that's okay with you. That mask had to go down- it did the disservice of insulting poor Dia. :C Die mask die! And I'm glad you thought the chappie was so amusing w. And that's what makes Dia such a cuteypatoohtie. (I forgot who I got this from but I will find you ;n;) [Tempted to reply to every little thing but restrains self]_

 _GinMerric- I'm so sorry ;n; Ah-Bu-Urg- I'm sure it was amazing ;v; Anyone who dates- accepts it will be a very lucky individual and I will be jelly forever. I know you from...nowhere. I just wanted to scare you a bit c: Writer's block has been defeated for this chapter- pow pow. No blocks a-gonna beat-a me- I'm a Mario. L(OwO) I do pray that things aren't as tedious this time- Though I highly doubt this since it's extra long so please forgive me this time. ;v;_

 _Chi-Mibuu- Cherish them forever please. ;v; Their time of impending doom is nigh. It is nigh I tell you! Ghosties everywhere- unless one of them is alive a.k.a. the mastermind is actually going to exorcise them :O_

 _OrangeLover10- Yes :D I'm so evil meow-hahahahaha! Hopefully thinks seemed a bit neater and cleaner this time around- if not I shall try again the next time. (/)^(\\)_

 _ShadedLyht- Out with the old- in with the new- I mean uhm. Yeah! Thank you w! I kinda liked how Naegi and Maizono knew each other from before the actual killing game- well High School altogether and since everyone in this fic would have been staying at the Complex since their time of admittance I figured no memory wipes would be a cool way to have things play out. Unless this is just a premise to the actual killing game and everyone will have to re-meet each other again! :O :O :O Just kidding, I don't have the patience to do that ;; A-And oowoo, I really intended to save the host until the next chapter but-but the way the host is and the meeting spot I just couldn't resist including her slightly. ;v; Oh! For the riddle- that shall be mentioned in the next chapter. I have it all planned out huehue c:_

 _Cupcake Swag Master- I wait until you get offline to update c: JK JK, I wouldn't ever want to do that to my readers ;v;. I especially cry when that happens to me- OTL. I'm glad you found it really funny- oh my god, five times- Does this mean I can be a comedy writer someday? ;A; Can my dream since childhood (read: since I read this reply) come true? Kiyomi really is super cute- especially as a match maker with relationship troubles. She's like the best friend always getting people together but can't get herself together with the bae :,D. Keyboard boooo :C I shall send you a portable laptop with wifi all the time so you will never have to go through that struggle again._

 _SqualinaTralala- Huwawah, I am glad things are to your liking! -insert sparkly eyes- Like with the traditional character introductions I figured I'd try and do different POVs when introducing characters. You can thank this one guy- he's a dingus and he's got sweet shades -for implanting this in my mind. I also follow his fics and I think anyone who likes mine would like his as well. c: (LOOK AT THIS ADVERTISING, I ONLY DO THIS FOR YOU 3) Oooo! A sprite of Emi's adorable self? I'm excited- so pumped w And yes, they must die. ;n; Unless something godly happens and everyone is alive :O Just kidding~ Perhaps. As for the SHSL Pastry Chef- this is one thing I can give a clear cut answer to._

 _Yes. c:_

 _DreadedPrinny- 10/10? I got a perfect score? ;A; I just wanted to thank the academy for helping me get this award and- Which one? ...Uhm... I'll get back to you on that. :D Hyuuuu, my cheeks are turning so red. I'm glad that my style easy to read for you- something I don't hear about my handwriting badum-tsh. And I'm glad that you found the interactions to be exciting and enjoyable. Also, I think that Senri is the one who I was the most scared of not properly portraying ;; Since he was, y'know, the first one to get introduced and all. That is scary man ;v; so I'm glad that you think so. ...But as for this chapter? -puts self on chopping block-_

 _adzan- YOU REFERRER YOU- I wurve you. You get hugs and chocolates ;v; Asane is secretly the SHSL Kitty-Kat-Reflex Girl, with Swag. c: I was tempted to have Mr. Bamboo thief stab a certain someone in the eye but- There's no place for her to get that bandaged yet and he's not that type of person...yet :D Everyone's gonna be a cold blooded killer. Even...the paintings~! Well, wait no longer. The killing game will start- February 31st of 2016._

 _A Dingus With Sweet Shades- I'm sorry- there wasn't anyone who fit the profiling of a skank. ;v; A-And I'm sorry. Everyone likes to wear clothes ;m;. It's a normal society. NO CURSING IN THE REVIEWS :C This story is rated G, we cannot have such frightening words available to the children. Just kidding~ thank you very much su~ The only reason Hitaka was written as you imagined was because I am you :o And here is the next chapter, your wait was only two hours. Enjoy. (I also check my email's inbox daily for your chapters. c: So please don't go breaking my heart c: c: c:)_

 _[...The last Author Note took like 1.2k+ words...]_


	6. Chapter 4: Terror-Sexism

_A/N_

 _If by some miracle this is posted before Tuesday I will thank the creative juices that allow me to continue to write so consistently. I don't think I can do two hour updates- my eyes still hurt ;n; First off, I just wanted to warn everyone- both active followers and people just finding this fic -I'll be working at a job now so updates might end up having a larger period of space between them. Maybe not, depending on if I want to to give you guys a shorter chapter than the usual. (But I really don't like doing that hrrg.)_

 _Also! There's seems to be a very slight- teeny weeny itsy bitsy misunderstanding in the roster. The student; Electra Violet Camisole SHSL Dimensional Goddess was-is nothing more than a running joke with some friends. A little mary-sue character spawned from two other mary sues- so she won't actually be in the story. Sorry! w (Or maybe she will be? :O)_

 _A-Anyways, speaking of short chapters this one is rather short but it's just a small introduction to the killing life. Just a fair warning- things might be a bit fast paced but don't worry; that's the intention of our host(ess). c: Additionally, from here on out the story will be told in the perspective of our two protagonists. Yes, two c:_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 4: Terror-Sexism_**

"Seriously, how many times does that make?" Hitaka groaned as he and Izuna stood just outside the door of one of the public washrooms. Arms crossed with his foot tapping impatiently, the fighter and his musician companion had stopped _again_ for the sake of Shirotani's habitual stops to do only god knows what behind closed doors.

Izuna simply smiled at this, not really bothered by the disease studying medical student's habits. Rather, he was far more interested in what he was doing that was important that he needed to stop every five minutes or so.

"About five, but who's counting?" Sometime after they had continued onward to wherever their destination might have been after Shirotani's abrupt decline to Hitaka's handshake, the announcement commanding all occupants of the apartment to head to the lobby emanated from their DIG-IDs. Between now and then, they had made a total number of five stops- not bothering to include the few that had occurred between their meeting and the announcement. Seeing as how they often occurred in five minute intervals it was about...thirty or so minutes since the announcement.

"Well, five is too many. What does he even do that is so important, man?" The impatient ravenette huffed, crossing his arms rather childishly giving the feel that he was possibly still sore from rejection.

"...I believe that is for me to know and you to remain in the dark until I deem it important to inform you," Shiro's voice cut through as he pulled open the door, surprising the two. "And just because I'm in another room doesn't mean the walls aren't thin enough for me to hear your ranting."

Hitaka's cheeks tinged pink from slight embarassment as he began sputtering out his words. "I- What, no. I wasn't ranting! Just uh..."

"Complaining?" Izuna supplied, a small smile tugging on his lips as the boy simply glared at him. Shiro- keeping his usual brooding expression -remained unamused by their banter and began walking away from the two, adjusting his black leather gloves. Noticing they were being left behind, the two quickly followed after him, silencing their banter in favor of throwing some attention to the silent male.

"So, Shiro... You're a pathological..." Pause. "...anatomical pathway..." Pause. "Anatomical Pathologist, right?" Hitaka managed to pronounce the title correctly on his third attempt, getting a curt nod from the boy. "So- uh, what exactly do you do then? Something with those biology and health class models?"

The boy halted in his tracks, casting his gaze to the taller male and sending a chill down his spine. Perhaps he had struck a nerve? The piercing stare from his dark brown eyes.

"..."

"Uh...?" Hitaka glanced over to Izuna for a bit of help with the awkward silence that had befallen the group, only to receive a shrug in response. Her returned his gaze to the shorter male, finding him still staring at him rather intensely.

"...No. Anatomic pathology pertains to the diagnosis of structural and composite changes in organs and tissues due to degrees. I typically perform multiple forms of examination of such as macroscopic and biochemical to ascertain the details that I need in order to give a proper diagnosis. It's rather tedious but I suppose I enjoy it to an extent. However, it doesn't specifically have anything to do with those models that we use during our classes but they provide some uses during my work as reference to what the healthy tissue and organs should look like and so forth." Shirotani took a sharp intake of breath, his somewhat harsh gaze softening slightly. "...Does that answer your question?"

Blown away by the long winded answer, the fighter could only nod his head in response. Satisfied, the examiner continued on his way down the hallway, keeping a brisk pace as he did so.

"I guess...he just needed a moment to prepare his thoughts..." Izuna muttered, patting the other boy's back. "Come on, don't want to be the ones left behind now, right?" He mused cheerfully before jogging after the solmn Valiance student. Hitaka stood there for a few seconds before he too followed, moving a bit faster to catch up to them.

"So, uh. Did the apartment get a change in management this year or...?" He trailed off, sparking up another conversation though it was more so him and Izuna as Shiro gave his input every now and again.

* * *

 _What is this..._

I found myself staring at the bizarre scene before my eyes- notepad flipped open to a fresh page and my pen scratching against the surface furiously as I recorded the vivid scene in a flurry of words. A holographic girl was currently dancing with another girl who was barefoot and someone I couldn't quite recall.

"This is so fascinating... Not only is it a full-scale model of a girl but she's perfectly three dimensional and her features line up with her surroundings as well!" A brunette spoke- another attendee of Silver Wing that many of us referred to as Shino-Geek though his government name was Ken. Being a hacker it wasn't at all surprising that he found such great interest in the existence that was interacting with us.

Her features were so defined and life-like, the only thing that seemed to signal that she wasn't quite human was the inability to physically touch anything. As she moved gracefully with the barefoot girl's rhythm's their hands appeared to be clasped together rather tightly, but in actuality the girl's hand had gone through the other's. Despite this, she managed to move along to the pace that her partner had set- completely off to the beat of the music.

"Are you enjoying yourself Hotaru?" Mayu asked, earning a rapid nod from the excited girl- who I might add sported a pair of dark brown cargo shorts. Under her sleeveless tan jacket was white t-shirt adorning an array of pale grey birds on it. Dangling from her neck was a silver necklace bearing a ring at the end that bounced with every movement she made.

"Yeah! Hitomi-chan's a super awesome dancer!" She chimed happily, twirling as the other girl held out her arm as though she were balancing her as she spun around. As she twirled faster, the auburn tresses that were fastened into a neat ponytail slowly turned into a more wild mess of hair.

"Lemme get a dance with her too!" Ken exclaimed, excitement pouring from his words as he gazed at the two with an undeniably creepy look in his eyes. He was currently lying on the floor, gazing upwards as he tried to get a peek underneath the hologram's skirt. "Just a little more..." He murmured, moving closer until a bamboo sword found itself obscuring his path.

 _"I think not foul human. Holograph or not- I do not believe you should defile a lady like that!"_ Dia's voice declared, frightening the hacker as he scrambled away to avoid the rather harsh boy's fury.

"H-Hey! Stop mimicking my voice!" The _actual_ Dia exclaimed, his cheeks tinged with a bit of red. I quickly jotted that down in my notebook almost reflexively, having a habit of writing down whatever I see and hear the moment it graces my senses.

 _"Sorry, sorry. Is this better? Now, for my next trick I shall pull a rabbit out of thin air!"_ Donning a british accent, mimicking the well known Caroline, the human parrot stretched his arms out as though he was preparing for a trick for an excited audience. _"Ah, but first- I require the hat of a beautiful fair maiden."_ He continued his speech, transitioning into English with no warning- confusing a majority of the lobby's occupants.

 _"Ah, I am not worthy of such praise, mon chérie. But I thank you nonetheless."_ I caught wind of some french in the magician's reply, which made me roll my eyes. I had no idea this was her cue to start speaking British-French. However, I quickly became disinterested in their tomfoolery, returning my gaze on the mysterious holographic girl whose name had been revealed as Hitomi.

She was definitely the one who had summoned us here, her voice from earlier certainly resembled that on the DIG-IDs.

 _"Ah! Welcome! I'd love to explain things to you three but as you can see, not everyone has arrived yet. If you don't mind, could you all take a bit of time to relax? Things are gonna get explosive!"_

Were her words when my group had arrived. I wasn't sure how many more students we were waiting for but they'd 'ought to hurry up. This situation and why I had woken up in some strangers room definitely needed some explaining.

Not to mention I demand to know how that riddle was even a riddle. Do you know what it was? A freaking explosion. Okay one- explosions don't even have a specific color and I'm pretty sure that it's the fire that is red and two- _why_ would I guess that of all things. Where the hell was I going to find a blasted explosion in that apartment.

Not to mention I only got that because of the little monster occupying space on my DIG-ID.

Speaking of the little pixelated fiend, he had been awfully quiet for some time now...

"Y'know, I don't think you're gonna be able to experience much if you're just over here scrawling on your notepad like that," a feminine voice stated, as they approached me slowly. I almost didn't catch what they said until they mentioned my furious assault on my notepad. I cast my gaze to the familiar face- an individual quite known even among those of us at Silver Wing.

Kiyomi Madoka, the Super High School Level Match-Maker.

During her first year around here, she was more commonly known as a pushy and excitable love-obsessed prom queen. Which was quite accurate to say the least considering she'd ensure that her appearance was in tip top shape with mountains upon mountains of make-up adorning her face. Not that it looked bad on her, it was more like one look at her and you could tell that she wore make-up. If I remembered correctly, she dated that one guy- Takahiko? ...Hiiro? ...Both of them? Well, it didn't last for very long- something she was also known for. Any relationships that she fortunately managed to form didn't exactly last very long- and that was in the event someone even agreed to date her.

It was a bit saddening to be her sometimes, but she always seems to have a smile on her face. Like now.

"Well, it is my job to do so. That is, the apparent scrawling I'm doing," I replied, shrugging my shoulders. "If I don't record what all is happening, who will? Besides, this is quite bizarre, don't you agree Kiyomi?"

She seemed genuinely surprised that I knew her name, which didn't exactly insult me considering we had never properly met and introduced ourselves.

"...Have we met sometime during last year...?" She asked curiously, leaning in a bit closer to get a better look at me. Instinctively, I moved back, a tad bit uncomfortable with her invading my personal space.

"No. I'll introduce myself since I already know plenty about you. Senri Maekawa, the Super High School Level Journalist or reporter. Whatever variation you choose doesn't really matter to me." She still seemed a bit perplexed by this, finding my name to be unfamiliar. I guess she's not one to read. The school's newspaper that is. Ah well, it's not like it's a blow to my ego or anything.

"Hmm... I see. Well, when we get out of here I'll definitely pick up the school paper when I get a chance!" She mused, her smile brightening if that was possible. I almost found myself smiling as well- it seems that it was quite contagious. "But anyways- I definitely think you should take a moment from your notebook and interact with everyone, just for a little bit." She turned to leave but stopped, turning to look at me with a much more gentle smile.

"That notepad can't be your best friend forever..." With those parting words, she scampered off to another group, ones who I recognized as a trio from Saint Oracles that often hung around each other.

Letting out a small sigh, I flipped my notebook closed and slid it into my back pocket.

 _What does that even mean- my best friend...?_ I paused for a moment, thinking about something for a bit. _And she does know we attend two different schools, right?_

As I had originally decided, the match maker was certainly an odd-one. That opinion- no, _fact_ will never change. Opting to take a seat for now as we _still_ awaited the tardy arrival of the remaining students who were probably lost in the apartment, I found myself in the company in finely dressed gentleman. He, like myself, didn't seem too keen on diving into the affairs of others and had been quite silent since my arrival.

Sharp light brown eyes seemed to be focused on the holograph, glaring at her with an uneasy look to him. Unlike the others, he didn't seem to open to her presence and...is it me or does he seem familiar? I ran my eyes over him again, perfectly straight black hair falling just below his ears. Rather thick eyebrows, once that you could possibly hold a billboard sign for and pure silence.

"Excuse me, but are you Taro? Taro Hiragaki?" My question attracted his attention, myself being the subject of his gaze that noticeably softened when his eyes fell upon me.

"Yes." Was the concise reply followed by a curt nod.

As I thought. I hadn't realized it until now but I definitely knew him. After all, as the Super High School Level Economist _and_ the current secretary seat for Asukawa's student council- how would I not recognize him? Aside from being a heavy participant in Asukawa's financial matters along with gathering data for any issues that arise on school premises.

He might as well be a celebrity for all who partake in student council.

"Right... I thought so..." After that comment, he resumed his heated staring of Hitomi, gripping his hands tightly as he watched her interact with the other students and Kimiko restraining Ken from performing any sort of harassment on the digital girl.

"I don't think we should trust her." He suddenly states after a long period of silence, arousing a confused grunt from me. "You think so too, right? Your journalistic instincts are telling you that this a really bizarre scene, right? I think that she, it- whatever she may be is -rather dangerous..."

As expected of the insightful economist, I could only nod in agreement as he spoke. Though I didn't exactly think that she was dangerous per say. I mean, she couldn't lay a hand on us so what exactly would she be able to do. Before I could voice my thoughts to him, the subject of our conversation suddenly spoke.

 **"They're here!"** She floated up towards the ceiling, hovering over the entrance with anticipation settling on her features. Aside from the fact that she was floating, I doubt anyone would be able to tell that she wasn't exactly human.

True to her words, three gentlemen made their way in, all of which who I hadn't been acquainted with yet.

"Sorry we're late!" The more muscular looking male of the group apologized, rubbing the back of his nape as a sort of nervous smile appeared on his features. " _Someone_ had to make a stop every five minutes for some 'important business' or something." Air quotes were used as he mentioned this, glancing over to the ravenette who stood to his left with a lab coat slung over his shoulder and billowing as he entered.

Wait, billowing? There's no wind in here... How is it... nevermind.

The other boy didn't say a word to defend himself, simply making his way towards the center of the lobby. He looked up to see Hitomi floating over him, flashing him a large smile to which he ignored completely.

"He...has his reasons, I suppose..." Came the soft defense of their final companion. Like the other boy, his hair was also black save for the fact that he had a pair of large headphones nestled atop his head. As I'm sure everyone would note, there were also a pair of dials on either side. What they were used for, I might not ever know.

"Hitaka!" Kiyomi's voice called out as she dashed towards the muscular one. She stopped a good couple feet away from him, nervously looking away as he did the same.

"S-Sorry about earlier...!" "Ay, sorry 'fer fightin' with ya..."

The pair simultaneously apologized, staring at each other after doing so. I guess there was some kind of altercation earlier? Oh! Hitaka! That was the guy's name! ...No, I'm certain she had dated those two other guys. ...Goddammit. Well, it was kind of sweet seeing that they were having a little apologetic reunion going on, with a nice studio audience of fourteen teenagers.

"Eh? You guys got in _another_ fight?" Daigo- if I recall correctly was a freshman member of Asukawa according to Caroline -spoke, looking at the two with a slightly disappointed expression. "Geez... you guys make-up really fast too, what did you even fight over this time?"

On second thought, this was no longer sweet. Just...annoying... However, they had no time to respond as the lovely hologram cleared her throat to capture our attention.

 **"Sorry to interrupt your little moment, but actually,I'm really not!"** She paused for a moment, after the somewhat rude statement- though let's be honest we were _all_ thinking it -to return to the ground. Though I didn't quite pay attention to before, I noticed that her attire had taken a sudden change. I think she was wearing just a simple white dress just a moment ago but I wasn't too sure.

Now, her attire consisted of a simply cerulean blouse with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. A few buttons were undone, exposing her midriff as well as more of her neck. Over it was a tank top- also a shade of blue and to match the rather summery outfit were a pair of white shorts. Like Hotaru, she was barefoot though I think that didn't really mattered.

 **"I shall properly introduce myself- I am Hitomi Sadao, also known as a Super High School Level like the rest of you. Additionally, starting from today I shall be your host! Pleased to meet'cha!"** She winked as she formed and hand into a scissor shape, hovering it over her eye and winking at us. While Ken was stuck on how cute the action was, the rest of us somewhat sane teenagers caught on to how she introduced herself.

"Uhm... excuse me?" A girl spoke up, Asane Komuro- the Super High School Level Acrobat. I wrote a feature story regarding her performance sometime after the term had begun. It was fascinating to say the least, though at times I was a bit concerned for the girl's safety.

"You said you're our host, right?" She continued, tilting her head with a perplexed expression on her face. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

This seemed to arouse a small laugh from the hologram who was beginning to prove Taro's suspicions correct. She flicked her chestnut tresses before resting a hand on her hip, looking relatively pleased by the question.

 **"I'm glad you asked. Today, we will begin a Mutual Killing Game! Bang, crash- explosions!"** She added in her own sound effects, doing odd movements with each sound. But I wasn't focused on that- none of us were.

After all, she had declared that we would begin one of _those_ accursed things.

"Ooooooh!" Was a sound that consisted of surprise along with intrigue, coming from the boy who had been copying people's voices. "What exactly is a mutual killing game?"

 _...Was he serious?_

"Ah! I also don't know what that is!" Hotaru piped in, raising her hand with a smile tugging on her lips. "Is it something fun?"

A series of hands coming on contact with foreheads immediately followed the idiotic outburst from the two. Hitomi simply stared at the two, a blank expression adorning her face. It seems like she hadn't expected this either though I suppose one can't account for idiots.

 **"...I suppose it's time for a history lesson then!"** The brunette hostess chimed, clapping her hands together. **"For those of you that do know, approximately five hundred years ago, there was a time that things like Mutual Killings were a commonplace..."**

"Organizations like schools and the government would use such events as a method of trimming down the population as well as determining who would be the best candidate for a specific position..." Kimiko continued, her usual snide voice growing grave with each word she spoke.

"...This was also how students during that time would obtain their Super High School Levels..." Kiyomi pitched in, her voice shaking every word or so as she recalled what she had learned from history class. "...Due to the heavily increased human population as well as the abundance of talent popping up, it proved difficult to assess each person to determine who exactly was the most qualified to hold their title..."

At this time, I decided to pitch in, clearing my throat before I spoke. "As such, Mutual Killings consisted of anywhere from 20 to 50 individuals in a specialized arena. The most traditional was that of a school building and the most intriguing being a plane. There, with a mixture of using their talents to figure out riddles and the like to ascertain weapons to defend themselves along with their combat skills they would try to survive..."

"Despite how...inhumane the games were, people followed through with them without any conviction. Rather, it seemed that they had prepared for such an event in their lives. Slowly, they would try to figure out murder cases day by day until things would be whittled down to two people. Then, it was a matter of whoever would be able to kill the other first..." Asane chirped, sounding surprisingly positive despite such a grave topic. "Whoever won would be able to refer to themselves as a true Super High School Level!"

"Ah, yes," Caroline nodded her head before taking the on the explanation. "In my homeland- England -the residents of the past would use this as a way to determine who would be most suitable to reign as the current King or Queen. It was truly a test of wits among other skills that were quite vulgar rather than the most important ability of being able to efficiently rule a country."

"However, despite the mass amounts of legalized murder, this time period lacked organized crime as well as illegal murder despite how cruel everything was..." Taro supplied, his eyes glowering menacingly at Hitomi as he spoke. "Of course, things weren't always like this..."

"Fifty years prior to that the Future Foundation was established," Hitaka carried on, crossing his arms as he spoke. "They were lead by a group who had managed to survive the original mutual killing which was also the source of all of this. However, the goals of the girl who started this all were quite different from those of the people who used this method many years later."

 **"And what exactly was that difference? Hmmm?"** Hitomi asked, a smirk adorning her face as she observed everyone rebelling the history behind the game. Was she the reason this was all occurring again? A projection of her actual self to orchestrate things?

"Wasn't it...despair...?" Shino-Geek chimed, popping up from the floor as he did so. "And that crazy chick- wasn't her name Junko or something? If memory serves, she was quite the beauty. Mrreow!"

Unamused by his car call, the joker received annoyed strikes to his head from both Dia and Kimiko. I guess not all of the couturier's upperclassmen have his respect. Ah...he'd better not cross me like that. I suppose he noticed my gaze on him and he immediately turned away, quaking.

 _Did I look scary...?_

"...Along with that group of six survivors there was another set of students known as the remnants of despair. They were put in a simulation experiment in order to remove all traces of despair within them and change their personalities to what they once were before they had come in contact with Junko. However, a program overrided this resulting the students who had died in the virtual mutual killing to remain in a comatose state. It's uncertain whether or not they were ever brought out of such states but that should be the gist of the history behind the Mutual Killings..." Not really paying attention to the events that had unfolded between the comedic trio, the labcoat wearing ravenette spoke his fill, effectively finishing up the lesson.

 **"Ah! Very good! It looks like you guys do pay attention in class! I'm a little bit surprised to be honest but a top notch explanation!"** The hostess chimed, clapping her hands together. **"Moving along, I'd like you all to take a look at the back of your right hands."**

"Why?" Kiyomi instantly asked, taking a step towards the floating girl. She glared at her to which Hitomi replied with an amused smile adorning her lips. "Are you just trying to subject without us noticing? Not to mention everyone else out there- surely they know what is happening?"

"Indeed," Caroline piped in as well, her voice lacking any sort of fear or unease like the girl who spoke before her. "I am certain that the other students as well as teachers and other faculty members are in the process of trying to get us out of here- if not them then at least the government. We are, after all, very talented individuals who are studying here at these prestigious schools so its no doubt that we as assets to the world would be protected by them, right?" As expected, Caroline smiled at our hostess, keeping her rather typical positive aura despite the grave situation.

"Ye-Yeah!" Dia spoke up this time, fidgeting with his hands as he began speaking. "While Caroline-senpai might not always seem the most sane nor does she have proper awareness of her actions on others or how others feel, I believe this time that her words carry some but of sense and I firmly believe in her words! ...Only this time though..."

Pleased by his defense for her, the magician flung her body at the other male and effectively taking him to the ground.

"Aww! That's so sweet Didi!" She cooed, hugging him tightly while he struggled against her grip.

"Release me! You are misunderstanding- th-that doesn't mean I like you senpai!" His words fell upon dead ears, reason no longer being applicable to the girl.

 **"Ahem!"** Hitomi cleared her throat, testing to ensnare the attention of the audience focused on the two.

 **"To answer that, none of those people will be coming to your rescue anytime soon. Regarding people on the outside- my master has already subdued them so we have all the time to enjoy our game! Shame there's no explosions though...the apartment would collapse so I couldn't exactly have the most extravagant introduction to this thing as I would've liked."**

 **"Anyways, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted,"** she leaned back in the air, acting as though she was seated in a recliner with her arms positioned behind her head. **"On your right hands will be a crest. On certain doors will be a marking that matches your crest and the door will only open for that specific crest. Each floor has its fair share of doors whereas many just simply do not open. Also, there may be doors bearing several markings so it'll take multiple people to open them. Just a small hint."**

 **"I think that's enough for now- don't wanna overload your tiny brains with information after all!"** She let out a laugh, flicking her hair as she floated in the air in an upright position.

 **"Be sure to study the rules very carefully- there's plenty of things I didn't bother explaining since I'm not your guidebook. You all can expect a data file containing this round's motive. Ciao!"** With that, the digital girl faded away from our sights, leaving the atmosphere tense with the heavy silence.

Was this really happening...? Could this really be happening...? I looked around to the others, noticing them frantically checking their DIG-IDs or gaping at the sudden appearance of the crest we had somehow failed to notice on our hands. Perhaps it was due to us frequently being in such dim lighting and we didn't bother to check for anything once the lights brightened up.

Irregardless- could this situation truly be our reality?

"What she said... That really can't be true, could it?" Kiyoshi spoke, dread dripping from his voice. "I-I mean, we really can't be forced into this killing game, can we? They were illegalized for a reason..."

He was right, but what exactly could we do? It's not as though we had any weapons and although our host couldn't land a hand on us it's not like she was completely powerless. She had access to send things to our DIG-IDs after all, who knows sort of frightful things she could do.

No one could answer his question, the entire group falling into a solemn silence as we contemplated what to do.

"Well..." Spoke a husky voice, one I identified as Taro's. The economist stood up, clearing his throught. "Obviously a spiel about hope isn't going to do anything about this situation, we're much more rational than those of the past, or at least I assume so. Nevertheless, I think we should be fine so long as we don't look at this apparent data file she's sending."

"Whether or not help will come soon, I think it'd be best to hold our ground and continue our daily life as though we normally would. Keep our thoughts off this thing for as long as we can and attempt to keep people from snapping. That's what I've determined as the best course of action based on what's happening and what has happened in the past."

Asane stuck her hand up, waving it at the lanky male. "Yeah, I don't really get what you said but... We just gotta keep things merry and things will be alright?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Hitaka answered, massaging his shoulder as he tilted his head side to side. "And I'm pretty sure its the only plan we have-"

"I disagree!" _That_ woman interrupted, standing up with her fists clenched tightly. "If we just wait around like lumps we're just gonna end up like everyone in our history lessons!"

"Naocchi..." A girl murmured sporting a sweater with an anime character embroidered on it. She tugged on Naoki's sleeve, attempting to calm the girl down but the action went ignored.

"Some of us clearly don't like others- that doesn't exactly help out this situation! Those people had their memories wiped! _Wiped!_ They simply didn't like each other and-"

"...Shut up." I hadn't realized that the words I just heard were my own until all eyes were staring at me- including the girl who had been prattling on. "Look, instead of worrying about your little drama issues that you can't seem to solve yourself since you're so damn passive-aggressive all the time you actually confront what you need to confront or just deal with it. It's irritating and annoying to people arou-"

 _Slap!_

"That won't do Senri."

Clutching my cheek that currently seared with pain, I looked to the individual who had struck me. Needless to say I was surprised, the last person who I would've expected to do something like that.

 _Why?_

* * *

 _A/N_

 _Okay, well that just happened. Okay- first things first are apologies to those who didn't get very much screen time this chapter. To make up for it- we'll get to see more of them for the first free times in the next chapter. I also might add that the next chapter will be written in the perspective of our other protagonist. Oooooh, spooky._

 _Anyways, I didn't intend to end the chapter like that- the original ending had been deleted when I accidentally tapped the Terms of Service ;v; Don't judge me- I had to finish this on my phone. Special shout out to everyone who uses desktop mode on their mobile devices. unu The struggle is so real. As usual, I expect your thoughts on this chapter. What you liked- what you didn't like- what you hated. Something you adored? It can be anything that you see fit._

 _Also, another special shout out to this mega-awesome person otherwise known as Cappy. (\\(OwO) They're currently working on some super cute art for our lovely characters- I got the spoiler but it is miiiiiiiiine. *hisses* So a super big thank you goes out to you!_

 _Sp1r1t- Ahaha! Thank you very much! I adore Kimiko- as you already know from when you submitted her x3 I just find her personality to be so much fun to write with especially when Ken is around. Nono, thank you for providing the intro, it wouldn't have been possible for it to exist without you ;n;._

 _ShadedLhyt- The answer has been revealed! :O Shame it was just my sucky attempt to troll everyone and poor Sen-chan. :,D I am bad. Darn it, I just thought that could've been her angle ;v; The super cute barefoot girl. But im glad that you're okay with it (though I probably should've asked about that ;;). I'm glad that she matched your tastes and I will continue to try and make sure she stays as dandy. Also I have noticed that I have failed you. Sadly, this is not a ghost but a digital existence living in the real world. ;v;_

 _SqualinaTralala- Oh my goodness! Are your eyes okay? ;A; What about your f5 key- is it broken? You sleepy bunny you. c: I'm glad that you enjoyed it enough to read in one go- I hope I didn't make you sleepy with all those words. Hyuuu- I thought it'd be amusing to have Emi appear as a frightening mysterious being. I'm sorry Asane but it was for the story ;v; Also, I'm glad that I portrayed her well and with the fear of not doing so hot this chapter she didn't get much screen time. Okay, no that was a lame excuse but do not fret. She shall get some attention next chapter! :,D Oh, regarding the little cutie pie, she may or may not have a nice little role in the future. I've yet to decide. Don't worry- I've already decided who to kill and when (to an extent) so there is no fear of me targeting your ships :D. [This response as been slaughtered in length due to FF being a weenie ;m;]_

 _DreadedPrinny- They are the dynamic seniors! :O I can only cry for their underclassmen and as for daily life prior to this- hummmmmm. I'm gonna pretend I didn't see you wonder that. Yuuji I idolized as the perfect trickster. I didn't know what I was going for when I put his talent as '?' So I think we can expect that reveal next chapter. Finally, I hope this chapter was uploaded fast enough for you senpai. Impatient customers are displeased customers! 3)7_

 _OrangeLover10- Le gasp! V:O I don't see why they wouldn't tbh, I mean praise is nice but criticism is really what helps people grow y'know? Ah- that was too cool for me to say. I take it back..;;; Also, I wanted to reply to your reply c: As for Dia's bamboo sword he has to dye the clothes without getting nasty human finger prints on it so the material es magnifique. I joke- I joke. If you wanna find out, feel free to vote for him for a free time c; Ah- I think I solve that last bit about Electra alllllll the way at the top. Sorry for any excitement you had about her. Oh, as for the host- you got the Super High School Level part right- just not the talent c: When Naoki's was a fair maiden- blossoming in her prime as a cute little pre-schooler in the sand box, a rather audacious british girl who had moved to Japan paraded around said sandbox. After asking if she wanted to see a trick, she stomped on the poor girl's sand castle she worked so hard on. To this day, she hates Caroline's guts for stomping her dreams of becoming an architect that she never could realize due to that traumatic experience._

 _Juuuuuuust kidding. Though I kinda wanna make that my head canon- OTL_

 _ZodiacNerd11- Did I do you proud with speed? :D Electra with her dimensional powers is sucking writers block away into the seventy-ninth vortex c: I stil cry for Dia though, it's struggleful world for him. ;v; Also, regarding the things you pointed out I sent you a message regarding that. Sorry if it didn't seem like those were addressed this chapter but I was just too much in a groove. ;;;_

 _Cappy- Hyuyuuu, I get a nickname too? ;w; That makes me so happy, thank you! I won't lie- Naoki and Caroline's history is something I really like having on my mind. I'm getting antsy for the chance I get to put it on paper- or pixel x3 I really enjoy torturing anyone who gets to be around Caroline- it's just so hard not (\\(^w^)/) Ship to your hearts content, but be warned theyoght succumb to doooooom. Maybe- depends on who you start shipping tbh ;;;. I think Silver Wing is full of people who just go well together. Hopefully, you like the the cute moment when Dia shares some kind words for his senpai. c: I'm sorry for abusing him so much._

 _FEAR NOT, WE SHALL GET TO SEE MORE OF PEOPLE WITH THEIR SCHOOLMATES (except Shiro since he's all by his lonesome QmQ)_

 _A Dingus With Sweet Shades- :C Lies! There will be dark red liquid that tastes like chocolate pooling around the 'unconscious' bodies of everyone who falls into an eternal slumber. Blood and gore is bad ;v; I'm sorry this wasn't within the two hours time slot, please don't get upset senpai. uwu;; Thank you very much for the compliment! :D_

 _Chi-Mibuu- Mama Dia :D Gotta take care of all the babies and make sure they ain't doing no kinds of funny business! Also, sorry for the bullying on Naoki this chapter ;v; It wasn't supposed to be like that originally but then my thumbs just started taking over and huwaaah. C.C. Is secretly SHSL Mastermind- plot twist! :OOOO_

 _As usual, I thank everyone kindly for taking the time to review and I sincerely hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I have exams this week so I'll be trying to study so the next update might be a bit delayed. Thanks and have a great day! Also, writing replies to reviews is so much more exhausting on mobile than on a computer ;v;_


	7. Chapter 5: Exploration (Pt 1)

_A/N_

 _Oooookay- I know I said freetimes would happen this chapter but...;; I changed my mind. I didn't exactly provide the rules among the functions of the DIG-ID but you can expect a bit more interaction between the somewhat forgotten characters! I made extra sure to include them this time. For certain- there will be freetimes next chapter so look forward to that. But before we begin... *pops confetti poppers* :O Ultra special shoutout to Adzan with his little question about the crests. However- I do not know what will happen when someone with a needed crest dies. ;m; Well no, I'm just lying to keep the suspense. But who knows- will they perform a "Komaeda"? Or perhaps something far more mundane? I wonder that myself..._

 _A-Anyways! Here's the next chapter. Be sure to leave your thoughts and opinions on anything regarding the content or format of the story. I value your criticisms as much as I do your praises- (\\(OwO)/) I keep a jar filled with them!_

 _Actually- it cannot begin yet. First off, I'd like to give some attention to some super cute artists, SqualinaTralala and Cappuccino Mill! They did some really cute art- and I've stalked their DA's for more so I'll put links to those in my profile since I dunno how to in the actual doc ;v;_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 5: I Like Sweets That Aren't Sweet_**

I'm certain that the rest of us were certainly surprised by what just occurred. Interrupting Senri's little rant directed towards the Literature Writer was Caroline, her hand harshly coming in contact with his face. I'm not going to lie and say that he didn't deserve- I will say that I am genuinely surprised that the magician out of all of us actually made the move to do that.

"That won't do Senri," she scolded calmly as though she were speaking to a child. He stared at her, surprise clear in his eyes as clutched his cheek in pain. "I don't know why you're so upset with Naoki- I don't know about everyone else but I _like_ being around her. She is one of my dear friends after all. Not to mention we really shouldn't be acting like this during this situation, right?"

I blinked a couple of times, still stuck on that one bit. She said she and Naoki were friends, right? ...Is she really that dense?

Senri looked conflicted and it wasn't that much of a surprise. He and Caroline were pretty good friends- though I suppose in her mind _everyone_ is a good friend. Dropping his hand to his side, the journalist shifted his gaze elsewhere

"...Tch. Whatever." As stubborn as I remembered, he briskly turned on his heel and slowly left the lobby. Although Caroline did call out for him to stop, he didn't heed her and continued on his way- probably to sulk or something. Hah. If that had been _me_ and she dared to lay her hand on me I'd have her down on the ground in a heartbeat. Actually...

No, clean thoughts only.

With Senri gone, all attention fell to Naoki who seemed to be a bit taken aback by his outburst. Or no- maybe it was Caroline's words that were now the cause of her troubles. Maybe both? It bothered me- seeing such a troubled face on a girl as cute as she was. I didn't really get what Senri's problem was with her. So she was passive-aggressive sometimes, big whoop. A _lot_ of people are like that so I'm fairly disappointed in him. I never would have pegged him as someone who was so...crass.

"Naoki? I'm really sorry about what just happened with Sen-chan, are you alright?" The concerned voice of Caroline spoke out once more, trying to mend the tense situation as best as she could. The girl didn't respond, striking the concerns of her friends as well.

"Naokicchi?" Emi from Saint Oracles spoke, tugging on the girl's sleeve. Before you question how I knew her name, I take the time to note all the names of my female rivals and allies. Especially the adorable ones.

"...You... Are..." We leaned in closer, hanging on the few words she was giving us. "You are so...so... _Misleading_!" She declared loudly, pointing her finger at the concerned magician who in turn simply stared at her confused. "Since last year- time and time again you declare that we're friends but then you do those _awful_ pranks of yours! When we first met, I thought you were super nice and cool- you invited me to spend time with your friends even though you're affiliated with another school but you were insistent on it. And-And not to mention those harsh and cruel pranks you did!"

"Pranks...?" Kiyoshi asked, tilting his head.

"I really don't get you at all." Not even leaving room for a reply or an explanation, Naoki darted out of the room leaving the rest of us even more confused and perplexed. Then, we turned our focus to the only one who could provide us any answers but were greeted with a rather blank look from the blonde magician.

"Caroline-senpai, did you really prank Naoki-senpai like that?" Dia asked, folding his hands together tightly. He stared at her intently, waiting for her response.

"...Did I...?" Needless to say, we were all in disbelief at the response and I could personally say that my heart went out to Naoki. Poor girl. The others immediately facepalmed whereas some simply stared at her with shock. And then of course, the ones who didn't particularly care about their matters of affairs. However, this certainly would lead to be quite problematic given the situation that we were in. Standing up, I cleared my throat loudly though it went by unnoticed.

"Excuse me?" I spoke, though they didn't pay any heed to me. It seems they were far too engrossed in the current subject.

 _How annoying..._

" _Excuse_ me!" I shouted, striking the ground with my foot with a bit more force than I intended but it got the job done. "Thank you. Now, while we can sit here and discuss the recent little spectacle that just went on I think it would be better to check things to see if they're in order. Now, we are going to split up into two groups of threes and two groups of fours to investigate the apartment. While we have lived here for the past two months, there's no guarantee that everything is still the same, alright?"

Removing my DIG-ID from my pocket, I held it up to the others. "But before we do that, I believe we should take a quick run-down of the rules so we know precisely what we're dealing with. Everyone understand? Good, I'm not repeating myself."

"Uh... Not that I have a problem with your suggestion or anything..." The girl I recognized as Asane started speaking, hand raised as she did so. "But like, who exactly are you?"

I felt a smirk pull at my lips as I dramatically flicked my gold accented raven tresses- though it might've looked a tad weird since my hair was cropped into a short bob. But I'm still looking fabulous. Adjusting my spectacles, I removed the director's hat that sat atop my head and pointed it at the acrobat.

"I- my dear -am none other than Kimiko Mayu, the director for this stage and I shall be taking it as my duty to fix any issues that may befall our group so that we may escape through this unscathed." I took a short bow after I finished my introduction, hopefully ensnaring my audience in awe with my presence.

"So the female lead has made her appearance... I pity the male protagonist..." Someone murmured- I didn't quite catch who said that but it was clear to me that the owner's voice was female.

"Anyways, let's carry on with the reading of the school rules, okay?"

"Ah, but what about Naoki?" Kiyoshi spoke up, lurching up from his seat. "I'm...I'm a bit worried about her being off alone and upset like that. Shouldn't we go find her first and try to calm her down...?"

How naive... "We shall save that matter for later. Do not worry, I've got it all planned out. Now, just _sit_ down and relax, okay?" I spoke with a bit more force, hoping he'd catch my mild irritation with his interruption and do as he was told. Fortunately for him, he got the message. Smiling faintly, I tried turning on my device but the screen wouldn't light up- no matter how much I'd try. I kept on trying until I remembered that the battery had died.

Talk about useless.

"Hmmm? Is your's not working Kimiko?" Hotaru asked, rolling over to me and holding up her DIG-ID with a large smile.

"If you'd like, you can look off mine, I don't mind!" Muttering a small word of thanks, I sat down next to her- despite it being the floor -and watched her screen display the list of functions.

As the standard devices provided, the DIG-ID showed tabs for the Rulebook and the Map which were now currently accessible. Additionally, a Private Message app was added but it didn't seem like it was usable due to the faded out text. Following that, was a Data Chart, but that too was faded out and deemed inaccessible. Next, was the Hitomi-Phone, an app likely used to contact our hostess for whatever reason why might need. Though, I doubt anyone would actually use that save for the little pervert named Ken.

Hotaru tapped the Rulebook title and like everyone else who had their DIG-ID's out, a holograph displaying the rules had appeared over the screen.

 _ **Rule Number 1:**_

 _Any student who wishes to leave the apartment at anytime must murder one of the other residents without being discovered in the act. Each person is limited to murdering two students and two murders cannot occur at the same time._

"Well, she certainly got to the point with the murder thing..." Kiyomi muttered, quite spitefully I might add. Well, it's not like she had much to worry about- she was well-liked after all. A bit forward at times, but she was a rather nice individual from what I've gathered. Shame she had fallen into the clutches ofAsukawa though.

 ** _Rule Number 2:_**

 _Should the student who commits murder have an accomplice, only the true perpetrator will be able to follow through with the After Game_ _._

 _"After Game? What does that even mean?"_ Dia spoke- or to be more precise -Yuuji. He had a hand placed firmly on his hip as he said this, rousing a few chuckles from a few individuals. _"Like- I don't get it."_

"Can you please not- I don't even sound like that!" The actual Dia whined, flailing his arms at the other male only to earn an amused smirk out of him. "Anyways, if you read the next one you'd know precisely what the After Game was."

 _ **Rule Number 3:**_

 _If the perpetrator manages to fool all of his classmates into believe that he or she is innocent, then they will follow through with the After Game in which they will be given access to all floors in order to gather evidence for the Final Trial and ultimately escape and leave the others behind._

"This is certainly different compared to the Mutual Killings of the past," Hitaka noted, sliding his finger up and down against his holograph. "It's more like... how do I put it, an escape the room game? Or maybe a puzzle game?"

"Either way, a mutual killing is still a mutual killing..." Izuna pointed out, receiving a curt nod in response.

 ** _Rule Number 4:_**

 _Should the perpetrator escape successfully, the others will resume their mutual killing game and until they have reached the point where they may engage in the Final Trial._

 ** _Rule Number 5:_**

 _Should the perpetrator fail to solve the Final Trial they will be punished and the others will still continue their mutual killing game until they have reached the point where they may engage in the Final Trial._

 _ **Rule Number 6:**_

 _If the innocents manage to correctly figure out the true murderer, then the perpetrator shall be executed. However, if they don't, then they will be forced to undergo a severe punishment in exchange for their comrade's attempt at the Final Trial. Note, a punishment can be a number of things. Fail and find out~!_

 ** _Rule Number 7:_**

 _Once a trial has completed in the favor of the innocents, then another floor will be made available to those alive, containing doors with crests._

 ** _Rule Number 8:_**

 _The destruction of Solaris Property will not be tolerated except for the circumstance of murder and punishment will be dealt out accordingly._

 ** _Rule Number 9:_**

 _Usage of the Wi-Fi is not permitted. Not like you could get into it anyways, ha-ha!_

"You know, I like how we went through all of that but they don't tell us how to win complete the Final Trial." Kiyoshi crossed his arms, huffing a bit while he stared at his device with a pretty heated glare.

"...You know, you say that like you're actually willing to go through with it..." Taro states, watching the boy carefully.

"Wh-What? N-No!" Fumbling with his device as he had suddenly reacted to the accusation. "I don't plan on murdering- I-I don't think I could anyways... I-I didn't mean for it to come out like that and-and..." He was digging himself in a hole with every word he said, not exactly solidifying his case on not following through with the task we had all been giving.

But, it's not like he was the only one who was worthy of such misgivings. Each and every one of us were just as likely as he to actually carry out with this. Even myself, but I wouldn't dare do something like that.

Not with the pride of Silver Wing on my back.

It had gotten pretty awkward after that, not like it wasn't awkward before but still. The rules were very simple but also vague- something else we could note in the mutual killings of the past. Which of course, means that we can't rule out this being a case of a fellow student going crazy and forcing us in here. Whether or not they're also a participant of this game is a matter I cannot determine at this time but it is possible.

"Anyways, as I had stated before we will now be breaking off into groups. But...I'd also like some things to be attended to." I stood back up, brushing off any dirt that might have gotten on to my rather expensive black slacks- can't have them looking less than regal. "Kobayashi, I want you to go find Senri and have a nice talk with him and catch him up to speed. Like our predecessors, we will find a suitable gathering spot and meet there on a daily basis. Is that understood?"

"E-Eh? Bu-But why me?" The poor couturier looked a bit frightened by this, not that I would blame him but I couldn't trust this task with anyone else. Caroline was the one who sent him off, Ken was too much of a morose buffoon and I obviously had to lead so I can't be bothered with such activities. Which left only him.

"Obviously, you're the most suited for this task. No more questions- as your senior I command that you go. Shoo, shoo." I waved him off with my hand and he reluctantly trudged out of the lobby. I don't see what he's so worked up about, it's not like he's gonna get killed right off the bat. Probably.

"Now, since we're short one member... Emi, Asane. I want you two to pair up and go find Naoki- talk to her and have her meet us here in the Lobby in about...an hour or so, okay?"

"Roger!" Asane saluted, tugging on her schoolmate's arm as she dragged her out of the lobby.

"Perhaps the God above writing out this scenario doesn't particularly like me on this day... Will I ever get any more screentime...?" She let out a small sigh, letting herself be pulled away with ease by her friend.

Well, that wasn't weird at all.

"Next, I want Hiromot-"

"My name _is_ Shino-Geek!" He interrupted, clicking his tongue right after. "But you can call me bae, Kimiko"

"...I want, _Hiromoto_ , Kiyomi and... you with the grey hoodie, to stay here and keep the geek from doing anything stupid. I don't trust him with any important activities so basically babysit him. Please and thank you." I pinched the bridge of my nose, tilting my headback to try and forget the ridiculous mark he dared to make.

"...You know, for a tech-y kind of guy you know some ancient words," Hitaka spoke to the idiotic scum, trying to spark up a conversation. Kiyomi made no objects but she didn't seem like she was entirely thrilled about it. Glad you can take one for the team prom queen.

Oooh, that rhymed.

"For the third group will be myself, Caroline, Hotaru and Yuuji. I'm going to keep an eye on you while we properly explore the floors. If I recall correctly, the entertainment room and the manager lounge is on this floor. We're going to check out those places as well as examine any of the doors with these so-called crests that we may find."

 _"Along with curvaceous bodies and large breasts."  
_

"Yes, along with curv-" I stopped mid sentence, glaring at the boy who dared to mimic my voice. Which I must say, he did quite fantastically, it carried the perfect pitch and sounded just as eloquent as my own. Hmm... perhaps I can overlook this remark this one time. Ah wait, perhaps... that is his talent...? It'd make sense why he was so good at...being obnoxious to Dia. No one likes a Mimic.

 _ **Yuuji Nakamura a.k.a. C.C. (17) Junior in Asukawa School for Higher Learning**_

 _ **SHSL Mimic**_

"Ah, I see. Perhaps you are interested in the lewd magazines presented to us by mistress Hitomi?" Caroline sang, her british accent laced heavily in her words. I simply rolled my eyes at her comment, unamused by it completely.

" _Any-ways!_ The last group will consist of the guy with the leather gloves, the one with the headphones and Taro. You guys will head to the Kitchen and determine whether or not we have a decent food supply or not. Make sure you check everything and take proper inventory of every thing you see. As I said earlier, we will reassemble here within the next hour or so- is everyone clear on that?"

"...Are we in the military now...?" Izuna muttered, fiddling with his headphones.

"I said, is _everyone_ clear on instructions?" A mumbled mess of variants to say yes drawled out as we dispersed into our groups. The tension that had been building up in the pit of my stomach had faded away once I was out of that room.

...Taking command like that was thrilling, but a bit frightening...

* * *

 ** _Exploration Time!_**

 ** _Current Location- Entrance Hallway_**

 _A simple hallway lined with doors on the left and right, each bearing their own room number. The door count goes from 0001 to 0015, however it doesn't seem like any of the doors are openable. Well, less places for people to hide murder weapons I suppose._

Hotaru: So- what exactly are we looking for in here? There's not really much to look for...

Yuuji: _Jinkies! When did management install new security cameras?_

Kimiko: Security cameras...? -glances up to see three security cameras positioned at the far end of the hall at the corners and one at the entrance to the lobby- You're right. ...Stop that voice thing!

Caroline: What exactly does that word mean? ...How does it not get lost in translation...?

Yuuji: _Objection! The reason is due to-_

Kimiko: Shut up! These security cameras certainly aren't the ones that I remember. They're much larger compared to the ones that were installed. ...And less tacky looking...

Hotaru: Agreed! Oooh? What's that?

Kimiko: Hmm...?

Hotaru: There's something printed on the side of one. Yuuuuji, give me a boost.

Yuuji: _Yes, mademoiselle._ (-proceeds to give Hotaru a boost, somewhat supporting her wait-)

 _A logo consisting of a pair of red dice is printed on the side of the tacky yellow camera. The dice appear to be showing 'snake eyes' but other than that there's nothing entirely interesting about the camera._

Hotaru: Oooh! I know this brand- snake eyes!

Caroline: That is a brand of camera? Ohoho, then I suppose these cameras don't actually work since snakes are blind!

The Others; ...

Caroline: Not good?

Kimiko: ...Not at all. Anyways, I feel like that might be important so let's keep note of that... Now, as for these doors... -walks over to the nearest one to try and open it but it does not budge-

Kimiko: Locked? Or is it stuck?

Hotaru: Oooh! Let me try one! (-scampers to the door across from Kimiko and opens it with ease-)

Hotaru: I got it! What's my prize? (-dives into the room-)

Caroline: Perhaps it is treasure? Or maybe something sweet? Or maybe my lost rabbit...

Yuuji: _Or maybe Kimiko's hug pillow of-_

Kimiko: One more word and that'll be the last impression you do- so help me. (-pushes the two inside-)

 _ **Entrance Hallway (Room 0002)**_

 _A student's apartment filled with useless magazines, empty food containers and- is that a condom...? Urgh... Whoever lived here was such a slob. Perhaps this is Hiromoto's room- it'd explain the piles of electronics..._

Caroline: I don't think Sir Shino-Geek would take too kindly to that Mistress Kimiko.

Kimiko: Wha- Hush. Do not question my depictions of the room, they are my personal thoughts.

Hotaru: But you're saying them outloud!

Kimiko: ...Very well- I shall try to keep it in my-

Yuuji: _-pants._

Kimiko: Can I cut his tongue out?

Caroline: Very well- I shall go acquire my saw.

Yuuji: _My apologies, shall we carry on our investigation...?_

Kimiko: I refuse to touch anything in here. It reeks of male. And there could be something dead in here.

Hotaru: Oooh! Look what I found!

Kimiko: Hotaru!

Hotaru: (-holds up a black pistol with a brown handle-) This is a gun, right?

Hotaru: (-looks inside the barrel-)

Hotaru: It looks really weird...

Caroline: Oh, that's a Mars Automatic Pistol, made in 1897.

Kimiko: Wow, what? That's really old then... Wait- how do you know that? No wait, _why_ do you know that?

Caroline: It's a firearm from my homeland. Of course I would know about it. ...To an extent at least.

Yuuji: _Either way, it's dangerous. I declare that I should take it for safe keeping until-_

Hotaru: (-pulls the trigger-)

Caroline: Mistress Hotaru!

Hotaru: It's not firing...? Is it broken?

Kimiko: It probably doesn't have bullets or it's too old. I doubt anyone even knows how to reload it- it's obsolete.

Caroline: And a model gun.

Hotaru: Model...gun...? Ooh! Like a swimsuit model?

Yuuji: _Oh, that's right up my alley. Big bre-_ (-falls to the ground-)

Yuuji: _I'm hit! I'm hit! Save yourselves!_

Kimiko: Stop imitating my voice or next time it'll be fatal. Anyways, I'll take ownership of the gun- model or not. (-swipes the gun from Hotaru's hands-)

 ** _Item Obtained: Model Mars Automatic Pistol_**

 _According to Caroline, it's a pistol from way-way old England. Though it's a model it actually looks quite frightening and has the feel of an actual gun. I wonder how you would reload one though..._

Hotaru: Let's look for more things!

Kimiko: How about no- this place is dirty.

Caroline: I agree, this place is as foul as mother's laundry bin.

Yuuji: _I have no comment to make about that!_

Kimiko: Well... let's go...

* * *

 _ **New Location: Residential Hallway**_

"Senri-senpai...!" Dia called out, cupping his hands around his mouth. He hadn't remembered how many times he'd walked down this hallway, but he was sure getting tired of it. He had tried to go to the second floor but now they were blocked off- both the stairs and the elevator. Talk about a major pain. Huffing lightly, the fashion artist tapped his foot impatiently as he looked around the small hall for the journalist.

"Where on earth could he be...?" He asked aloud, raking his hand through his hair. "I really don't want to find him but I don't want to get on Mayu-senpai's bad side..."

 _"_ Who's bad side...?" A voice asked from behind, hand suddenly being placed on the boy's shoulder.

"Ahhh!" Dia squealed, immediately grabbing the hand and flipping the owner over his shoulder. Or rather, he attempted to. Eyes wrenched closed as he tugged and tugged on the individual, he didn't quite have the momentum to actually flip whoever this stranger was over his shoulder and wound up tiring himself to the brink exhaustion.

"...Are you trying to flip me over your shoulder...?" Came the familiar voice of the male he had been looking for, Senri. Dia immediately backed away from him, giving himself some space from the journalist.

"A-Ah! Yes, I mean- no. Sorry, I didn't know it was you!" Dia apologized, waving his hands rapidly in front of him in order to show he bore no ill will. Senri arched a brow in question at the boy's antics but merely shrugged it off for now.

"So... What are you doing?" He asks, popping a straw to a bottle of Crimson liquid in his mouth. As he waits for a reply, the gray haired male slurps his drink a bit loudly, staring at the couturier expectantly.

"A-Ah! Right! I'm here to help you calm down and bring you to the lobby." Dia explained quickly, earning a silent state from the taller male. Uncomfortable under the heated gaze of the taller male, Dia began fidgeting with his hands, unable to calm down.

"No." Was the concise reply before the male made his way past Dia before being stopped by the feeling of something tugging at his leather jacket.

"You can't go!" Dia cried out, pulling with all his might. "If you don't come back, Mayu-Senpai will have my head on a silver platter! And-and you definitely need to have a talk with someone!"

His words seemed to fall upon deaf ears as the journalist continued walking down the hall as the younger underclassman was dragged along. It wasn't long until they came to a stop at a door with a sparkling silver nameplate in which Senri's name was engraved upon.

"Fine. We can talk or whatever it is you're trying to do. Come on." Holding up his DIG-ID, he swiped it across the scanner and kicked open the door with ease. He walked inside, Dia following after him rather slowly.

"So, Dr. Kobayashi, shall we get on with our first appointment?" The journalist asked, plopping down on his bed. While it was different from the original standard apartments, he had to admit that it was certainly better than his own. It felt like there was more space but that was literally the only difference.

"UH right..." Dia murmured, looking around at the room that seemed to have billboards filled to the brim with various articles and newspaper printouts from online sources. Would his own room be something like this...?

"Why exactly do you dislike Naoki-senpai...?" It was a start considering he had exploded on her when she began speaking- quite panicky he had to admit.

"Simple, she's passive-aggressive. Great, I'm all better. Go away." Senri slurped down the remaining portion of whatever flavor drink he had obtained from God knows where and placed the bottle on the floor.

"Come on, Senpai. At least try here," the couturier sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm just trying to help out here. You know with the situation like this, tension like this is bad. What if Naoki-senpai were to die this given moment?"

"Bye Naoki."

"..." Dia simply stated at him, surprised by the nonchalant answer. "You know you'd be the first to be accused then, right? Actually, no- I don't care. Senpai, you suck." He turned on his heel, huffing as he made his way out the door.

But he stopped.

"A classmate of mine..." Senri started off, catching the younger male's attention. "I didn't really know her- I just sort of observed her from afar like I did with everyone else in middle school. She and this girl, let's call her 'Friend A', were supposedly friends. In reality it was more like Caroline's and Naoki's relationship- something only one party decreed."

Dia had turned around and took a seat on the floor, listening intently to the story.

"Friend A disliked the girl with a passion but she never directly stated it- just tried to pass it on to her with subtle hints like mixing up her name on purpose for example along with another set of passive-aggressive techniques. But she never got the hint since she was so dense."

Senri paused for a moment, frowning as he tried to recall the details of the event. "I don't recall what it was but one day the school newspaper was released- digitally obviously -for everyone to see. In it was some of the girl's personal business that not only destroyed her reputation but twisted how everyone else looked at her. It bothered me greatly. I mean- sure people would say it was her fault for not getting the hints but it's not her fault she's so dense."

Massaging his eyes, the boy took a sharp intake of breath.

"So afterwards, she ended up transferring out. I don't remember what her name was- or even what she looked like. I think I had a crush on her. ...Maybe. But anyways, that's all there is to it. Caroline's my friend and it irritates me to no end how Naoki can't seem to bring it upon herself to actually tell her 'we're not friends' or 'sorry Caroline, I really don't like you' but I guess that's just me."

He blinked a couple of times, waiting for Dia to say something, anything really. He shifted his gaze that had been focused on the ceiling to the boy only to find him tearing up.

"O-Oi! Why are you crying?" He asked, legitimately surprised as the boy started wiping his eyes. "It wasn't even that serious..."

"Shut up! I'm not crying because of that story," Dia denied, quickly trying to brush the tears away. "I just- I just got some dust in my eye. Clean your room for once!"

Senri deadpaned, wondering if the boy was actually serious.

"A-About that girl... Is-Isn't there something you remember about her...?" He asked, staring at the male perched on the bed with a rather serious expression. Though there were still tears at the corners of his eyes, Senri opted to not comment on them.

"I told you- I don't even remember her name. What would I..." He trailed off, his mouth curling into a slight frown. "...no wait, she made this really good Macarons for class everyday... Like, they were really good..."

Dia's eyes lit up a bit at that, immediately standing up. "Alright! I'll make you some Macarons!"

"Wait- what? Aren't you a fashion designer...?" Senri pointed out, clearly having doubts about the boy being able to bake- or even use an oven.

This only managed to irritate the boy as he crossed his arms and huffed.

" _Couturier!_ I am a Couturier! That just sounds so unprofessional... And I'll have you know I can bake!" He pointed a finger at the boy, certainly surprising him. "Do-Don't tell anyone this but... When I still lived with my family I'd often take care of the kitchen duties whenever our mom and dad went off to do their things. And I enjoy it very much- but I swear don't you tell anyone or else!"

Senri smirked at the slight threat at the end, moving his hand away from his face. "Or else what? Last time I checked you couldn't even flip me over your shoulder."

"Sh-Shut up!" Dia hissed, stomping away from him. "And dont think I'm making these macarons for you. Since you said she made macarons I got in the mood for them!" With those final words, the angered couturier took his leave of the room and sauntered who knows where.

"Hmmm... Ah- I forgot to tell him that girl was a terrible cook and her Macarons always ended up bitter... I don't like sweet things..." Senri muttered before stretching his arms and lying down on his bed. "Ah well... Maybe he'll make some coffee flavored ones..."

In a few moments, the journalist found himself fast asleep all nestled up in his bed. Clutching his pillow tightly as he dreamt, hopefully good dreams.

In his pocket, his DIG-ID vibrated slightly and lit up brightly.

 _ **New Function Added: Student Reports!**_

 ** _Kobayashi Dia Level 1_**

 _Dia apparently has some expertise in the kitchen due to taking care of his siblings while his parents were away. He seems to hold great confidence in his cooking skills but...I can't help but wonder what else he knows..._

 ** _Transfering Data to Point B..._**

 ** _40% Complete... 70% Complete... 99% Complete..._**

 ** _All Data has been delivered. Returning to hibernation mode..._**

* * *

 _A/N_

 _I'm sorry! I know I promised to do the free times for the neglected characters but it bothered me how I left things with Naoki and Senri. ;n; So this chapter consisted of exploration- though very brief -and a little more information about why Senri is like that towards Passive-Aggressive folk. Don't worry though- that means we'll get Naoki's side in the next update as well as the crew in the kitchen. I have some splendid ideas for that. Also, this update was supposed to be done yesterday but j really couldn't focus and with exams on the periods I skip to work on this I didn't have much time to do this. ;v; not to mention its a pain to type a portion of a story on mobile curse you auto-correct._

 _So I apologize for any words that seem to be...out of place or missing- I don't notice things as well on a small screen as I would on a larger one. Also, for the exploration's format I sincerely give credit to the creators of A Flight of Fancy Despair for actually making me do it like this- I'm loving it so far hyuuuu. However, I'd like to ask if you as the readers would prefer it if I kept it in this way or change it to my normal writing style. (Which means pararaph-ish style instead of being broken up and simplified). Just leave a message in my inbox or post it in a review._

 _Also- here's a little thing I'd like to know. As of now, who's your favorite protagonist- snarky and dashing Senri or the abusive yet alluring Kimiko? They both have personality traits that I personally like when they interact with others but I'm curious on your thoughts. c:_

 _Review replies- yay!_

 _Goldenyellowrabbit- Ooooh, welcome back from vacation! :D I hope you enjoyed yourself- if you don't mind my asking where did you go? :o And can you take me with you next time? ;n;_

 _Pendragonic- Ken is adorable- aside from looking up Holograms' skirts for peeks at their undergarments. ;;. But I definitely love the chemistry between him and Kimiko- the constant (ineffective) flirting brings me so much joy but I think it's time for him to find some new targets. Hyuuhyuyu~_

 _SqualinaTralala- I know that feel- ;v; Pls bring the option to alter reviews FFN. As for the motive- although it was planned for this chapter, oopsie -it'll be released next chapter. Familieeees- perhaps that might be it. Or maybe- pets :OOO -evil laughter- Nah, I'm kidding- I haven't decided what would be a motive that would have you all really thinking about who it could be directed at. I'm stuck between two choices atm but I shall decide- when I die orz. Indeed :D They have been immortalized in our textbooks so we can always looks at them when they were young and beautiful. Oooo an interesting question I spy. What if- she was a baby hologram and eventually digi-volved into a Hologram Hostess? :OOOO Oh my goodness- I loved 999. It's actually what brought up the concept for this ;;; And, I don't think Caroline's all too carefree now- gotta put the badbutts in there place like a boss. B3 And thank you very much- I hope this chapter was to your tastes! :D_

 _DreadedPrinny- Oooooooh- Thank you very much for that! I've always wondered what humanity would do in the event that the human population got too large to maintain (mostly irl) and I just figured that the history would tie in with that for this fic and universe. ^-^ Hitomi also thanks you but be careful, she might hack into your wi-fi. ;v; Sorry- Electra isn't too in to being onstage since she might end up breaking the game and her beauty is too beautiful for humans so they'd get destroyed. ;;; And noooo, I don't think she'll be making an appearance quite yet- or at all but who knows? I don't :P. Also, thank you very much for that- it really puts my mind at ease! Nothing like knowing I'm writing characters to the ideals of their creators!_

 _Cupcake Swag Master- Nope! I totally get that when you just gotta ship ship ship w And don't worry about that- my lack of a constant computer and safari's constant crashing has ensured you have no fear of that :,D. Komaeda double? Ooooo, how interesting. Well, all I can say is let's wait and see what fate has in store. I don't think its bad- I think that'd mean we'd get along great! 3 And, I hear Ken thanking you from his apartment. Hyuuhyuu wait no longer! :D_

 _Adzan- I blame Electra- she's been working me to the bone ;x; but I enjoy it so alls good c: As for Yuuji's talent, good guess but nnnnoooope x3. As for the "there can only be one SHSL" (which I probably didn't explain to will in the history lesson) is driven from the fact that for one to qualify as a SHSL they must be the best at their area of expertise. With the population issue and all talent arising- they used that to whittle it down a bit but that was before their time. Now, everything is peachy keen or was until they got forced into this business. It can be assumed there are people with the same talents but they aren't necessarily the best ;; I hope that clarifies things a bit but yeah- I imagined it to be more hunger games-ish in the real world. And for the apartment complex- here's a dirty room from a former occupant :D_

 _ZodiacNerd10- Thankbyou very much for helping me out with that! ^-^ I'm glad it's better now. Also thank you for your praise on the history bit- I appreciate it. Pls- Dia and Senri. 3 Just kidding, I ship it too. Secretly. c: Ah yes, I'm currently reading AFoFD and I absolutely love it- despite only halfway through the updates ;; I'll catch up soon! Oh my goodness- that is both great and frightening at the same time. ;n; it scares me the power she will have with Electra at her side._

 _OrangeLover10- Nuuuu, you won't be able to make characters anymore if you die! ;n; You must liiiive live happily! I would say vote everyone, buuuuut ;; Oooooooh! I thought you were saying they were the same person (I think?) it's okay- I'm pretty derpy when it comes to reading things .;; Cute history is fun history! :D Hmmm that has given me an idea... Omg typo?! *cries in agony as I try to find it* Thank you very much for that- that is extremely important to me as well. Omg nuuuu, come back! Fan girls- bad!_

 _Sp1r1t- No worries! :3_

 _ShadedLhyt- Senri's gotta get the dirt on everyone. Collect them information shards- I mean, hope shards ;;; Hitomi appreciates your rant and will cheer up with a more explosive entrance next time! :D Lets just hope she doesn't step on broken glass ;;_

 _Cappy- Uwah- I love it! I just saw them- I'm shadow stalking your DA (Well; everyone's DA if I can find them *^*) And nuuuu- I could never manage to do that ;; you are his creator ;m; I'm sorry- I shall mail you an Electra Keychain- Electra Keychains for all! :,D ...April Fools! *cries* I missed a day- oopsie I have lost my rep ;v; Shino's ready to find them whenever and wherever he can :D And so is a certain someone else but that is to be discovered later c: Prom dress drawing? Hyuuuurgh- that sounds really cute; I'm imagining it. More history twists :D And thank you very much for your compliments! *sees comment about old fashioned stabbing- re-thinks entire murder plot* ;x; There goes all of the murders- just kidding! I hope to meet your expectations in regards to murders!_

 _Chi-Mibuu- (Were you online this time:O if so it was planned c:) Ahhhh thank you! I came up with it kind of on the spot and my thumbs thank you- we're their wittle ice packs. And nuuuu Naoki's not a nuisance to anyone else- Senri's got some things with his background that's all! ;m; (that I added and hopefully his creator doesn't mind). Let us sing the murder song :D_

 _A Dingus With Sweet Shades- He was sharpening his personal knife that he carries around, prepared for... For... Turkey carving :D Just kidding, this is a mystery that can never be discovered until all his free time events are complete! Thank you for not swearing :3_


	8. Chapter 6: Exploration (Pt 2)

_A/N_

 _Hey you guys! Tooootally not dead- just been a bit busy with exams and the like but now they're finally over! I think I'm gonna cry. You can expect updates to be a bit quicker- when I get back to a computer –since I no longer have classes to attend to do that's a lot more time to write. Also, here's the results for the poll- you can expect free times with these characters the next chapter._

 _Hitaka Yuushi – 5_

 _Kobayashi Dia – 4_

 _Kubarachi Emi – 3_

 _Hamasaki Naoki – 2_

 _Hiromoto Ken – 2_

 _Kiyomi Madoka – 2_

 _Asane Komuro – 1_

 _Hiragaki Taro – 1_

 _The characters with the highest votes will be engaging in a free time with one of our protagonists. Who it will be- I have no clue. ;;uvu Additionally, another poll will be up by the time you finish reading this chapter- or before –for the next free time after this so make sure you vote in case there's someone you wanna know more about. Cause after that- it's motive time and then someone's getting offed. c: Anyways, I've kept you long enough, here's the chapter! Don't forget to leave a review or simply send me a PM on anything that you think of or see both positive and negative. Thank you!_

 _On my profile there's two new things; a new poll for the next set of free timers- then it's the revealing of the motive at the end of that chapter. Then one more special free time maybe and another thing I have in store then we'll have the first case. Wow, that seems like such a far time away but I imagine free times will be a bit shorter than actual chapters like this. Mostly because I'm debating on script or detailed writing- what do you guys think?_

 _Along with the poll is a link to a character title for Kiyoshi Daigo made by his creator. (The Kuzuryuu sprite was so perfect like hnnnng- cuteness.) Anyways- check it out when you can. (While you vote in the poll, right right?)_

 _Also- based on the number of reviews regarding this subject I'm going to clarify this now. Regarding the rules- although it states the students will undergo a severe punishment this **does not mean the same as it does in the game.** It's basically stating that there will be a punishment for the remaining survivors in addition to continuing to go through with this game. (This makes using words hard ;; but I edited in the last chapter so it should be fine for now. Eventually, the rule will be altered in the future just as a heads up for you guys.)_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 6: ...That Is Not Edible...**_

 ** _Current Location - Lobby_**

In the lobby area, Hitaka and Kiyomi watched over Ken as he laid on the ground, DIG-ID in his hands as he repeatedly pressed the option to call Hitomi but the virtual lass had yet to appear- nor did it seem like she would anytime soon.

"Yo, Hiromoto-"

"Shino-geek." The hacker corrected for the umpteenth time now, his eyes trained on the device in his hands.

"...Whatever man, I don't think she'll be coming anytime soon. Remember? She's taking care of that thing for us." Hitaka's words were simply brushed aside but it was clear what he was referring to. The motive whoever locked them in here had prepared for them. He didn't want to admit that they were in this situation, none of them did.

But it seemed history was truly meant to repeat itself.

"Why are you so insistent on seeing Hitomi anyways...?" Kiyomi asked, hopping up from her seat. "Do you have a crush on her? If so, that's really cute! A bit weird, but love is love!"

However, the boy simply shook his head in denial.

"While she is pretty- no smokin' would be the better word -I can't help but feel uneasy about her..." He trailed off, looking up at the match-maker with rather serious eyes from behind his rectangular specs. "Does she seem familiar to either of you?"

He was given a puzzled look from the girl as she tilted her head to the side, finding his question to be strange.

"No... She is a hologram, isn't she? I don't think I would've met her before- it's not everyday you get to meet a hologram, right?" She replied, crossing her arms.

"But, I do agree. Now that you mention it she _does_ seem extremely familiar to me. I don't know where but it's an extremely faint feeling." The fighter raked a hand through his hair as he spoke his own thoughts, letting out a deep sigh. "With that, I'm certain that I've at least seen her before- if not met personally."

 _ **"Met who personally?"**_

"Eep!" Kiyomi let out a small squeak when the subject of their conversation suddenly appeared, jumping a bit in fright.

"You- and did your panties change? I swore I thought I saw a glimpse of black lace last time..." Ken was currently behind the couch, hand under his chin as he shamelessly gazed beneath the girl's skirt. "But I must admit, this pair is rather-" His sentence was interrupted by a yell in pain escaping his own mouth as he began massaging his eyes.

"Hitaka! What the hell was that for man?" He whined, trying to ease the pain from the eyes that had just been stabbed by the muscular male's fingers.

"Sorry man, just doin' the job the director lady gave us. Can't get on her bad side." Was the nonchalant reply followed by a shrugging of shoulders. "But yeah, we were talking about you, hostess. Have we met before?"

"Hmmmm... I dunno~ have we?" The former super high school level questioned playfully, somehow taking a seat on the floor.

"Then...were you an attendant of one of the four great high schools...?" Kiyomi asked, taking a seat back on the couch next to Hitaka, hands clamped together in her lap.

"Oh- I can answer that! Yes and no." So much for an answer.

Before they could comment on it, all three of their DIG-IDs proceeded to make a staticky noises as they lit up. Holding up their devices, the trio curiously stared at the words that lit up on the screen.

 _ **New Function - Finale Evidence**_

 _ **Evidence Added- Hitomi's Testimony(?)**_

 _According to the hologram herself she was an attendee of one of the four great schools but at the same time, she wasn't. What kind of perplexing answer... Wait- does this mean...?_

"Finale Evidence...?" Hitaka read aloud before looking to the digital existence. "Care to explain to us the meaning of this...?"

"Oh! I didn't expect that to happen. Or maybe I did? Who knows~?" Giggling lightly, Hitomi floated up and pulled up a screen for them to view. "I didn't mention this earlier- intentionally -but whenever you discover information usable for the final trial, or any trial for that matter, your DIG-IDs automatically record it. Be it an audio file or a scan of something solid- it does it."

"But y'know, I didn't expect you guys to get some info so early... Well it's not like you guys can solve the entire trial with this little bit of info anyways!"

"Then does that mean we do-" Ken didn't have time to finish, within moments she had disappeared as quickly as she arrived. Talk about perfect timing.

"Well, at least we learned something good!" Kiyomi piped up, clapping her hands together. "We know that whoever is behind the hologram is our mastermind. And we know her name- so that fills one of the obvious qualifications to pass the trial, right?"

"Yeah, I guess things were just made easier then..." Hitaka folded his arms behind his head, getting a bit more comfortable. "We should make sure to tell the others when they get back from their exploration duties."

 _'But is it really that easy...?'_ Ken wondered, _'A hologram can be a projection of someone's physical self but it can also be created through other various methods. Simply imagining an appearance to one's tastes while using special equipment would be enough to create one or just using an up-drive.'_

 _'Irregardless of the method, I don't think finding the identity of the mastermind would be as easy as that...'_

"Heeeey, earth to Ken?"

Blinking out of his haze, Ken found Kiyomi waving her hand in front of his face, trying to get his attention.

"Are you okay?" She asked again, concern evident in her voice.

"Uh- Ah yeah. ...Hey Kiyomi have you done something different with your hair?" He leaned a bit closer, a bit of intrigue settling in his expression.

"Uh...no...?" She backed away- slightly as she was puzzled but the sudden topic change to her hair. Now she was concerned, was it frizzy now? Did it look oily? She certainly didn't like where this conversation might have been headed, biting her lower lip nervously.

"Why?"

Ken smirked a bit, tossing an arm over her shoulder. "Well, I was just thinking that you look miiiighty fi- _Nnng_!" Once again, the hacker was crouched down on the floor, hands covering his eyes in an attempt to ease the pain flourishing in them.

"Can you _please_ stop that!" He cried out to Hitaka, trying to glare at him but immediately clamping his hands over his eyes to protect them.

"I still have no idea what you're talkin' about. Just doin' my job man." The taller ravenette simply stuck his tongue out and winked at the pained boy, looking rather dashing despite the childish action.

 _'Was...Yuushi always this violent...'_ Kiyomi wondered, staring at the poor hacker in mild curiosity.

 _'Mmm... I guess people do change a lot over vacation...'_

Opting to let the boys have their little 'bonding' time if you could call it that, Kiyomi began walking around the lobby. It certainly hasn't changed much from what she remembered. The only major difference was the check-in lady who would always stand behind the desk near one of the entrances deeper into the building wasn't there.

The silver accented black wallpaper had remained with various bits of graffiti scrawled upon them in different mediums. Several little drawers lined each of the four walls, approximately nine in total. One was behind the check-in desk, two against the hallway that led to the kitchen, two around the main hallway, two around the side entrance to other apartments and two by the exit to the outside. No one ever really messed with them, in fact she wasn't even sure if they opened.

As for furniture, there were several chairs littered about for students to wait or just lounge about in along with a few leather couches. The floor had several rugs positioned flat over the hardwood floors. Nothing really had changed.

Aside from the missing attendant, it wasn't as though they were currently trapped in here. More like students just lazing about as they waited for the day to end. Making her way to the door that was the exit, the match-maker tapped on the wood but instead of a solid knock it sounded more like thumps.

Hitting the door with her hand again, she was certain the door was not as she perceived it.

 _'...This sounds odd...'_

Holding her finger to it, she was about to scrape her nail against the hardwood but stopped in the process.

"Ay, Kiyomi. We're gonna head to the kitchen in a little bit to get some food. You hungry?" Hitaka called, bringing her out of her little alone time bubble. When she turned her head, she found the fighter holding the silver wing member in a chokehold as he slapped his hand on the floor to show he surrendered.

But of course, Hitaka didn't relent.

 _'Maybe people don't change...'_

"Yeah- food sounds great but uhm... What about Kimiko-san...?" She wasn't all that hungry- or maybe she was. The girl couldn't really tell at this moment but something to drink would be nice...

"It'll be fine, she'll understand... Probably..." The boy shrugged his shoulders, finally releasing the poor hacker from his grip. "Les go- I'm starved." Without waiting for Ken to recover, Hitaka began making his way down the way to the kitchen.

"Geez... Man, I don't see why he's so popular." Ken mumbled as he too began following, muttering something about how 'sweetos doritos' he was at various things. Kiyomi stood there for a good minute before finally moving to follow after them but not without casting a glance to the suspicious door.

 _'Maybe I was just imagining it...'_

* * *

 _ **New Location- Kitchen**_

 _ **Exploration, Begin!**_

As per instructed by the director, the group sent to the kitchen was taking inventory or at least- most of the group was at least.

"You know, you should really be helping out as well Shirotani. This would been done faster and easier even with you stopping every five minutes." Taro stated in a matter-of-fact tone as he set a box on a counter, opening it to examine it's contents.

"I'm sure he has his reasons..." Izuna defended, casting a smile to the male. "Besides, Kiyoshi's here to help us so I'd say we're doing just as well if it had only been the three of us initially. Right?"

"Ye-Yes!" The blonde boy exclaimed in response, digging through a dish washer. Not to mention he hit his head as he replied, sending it into the roof of the machine he was inspecting. "Ouch... Since Mayu-senpai didn't say which group I should go with I'm thankful you guys let me tag along- found the knives"

"Oh great- give them to Shiro, he'll organize them in the box." Izuna instructed, pulling out plates from one of the cupboards.

"I'm just saying- it'd be _more_ efficient if he did something more...investigative instead of cleaning things that are already clean." The economist stated, sighing a bit.

"Spices." He began removing the containers filled with a number of ingredients he hadn't even heard of.

"What's tarragon...?" He muttered under his breath, staring at the container quizzically before setting it down.

He'll be sure to stay away from that.

"Well- I suppose..." Izuna conceded, moving along to shift through refrigerator. "Seems like only fresh vegetables and fruits are in here... Along with drinks, eggs and other things. Oh, a glass bottle of cherry juice is missing... Odd."

"Say, didn't you two wake up here...?" Kiyoshi brought up, popping up next to Izuna as he swiped a bottle of the juice for himself. "Was it there when you guys were here?"

"Yeah, we did," Izuna replied softly, sifting through the fridge's contents. "There's also cakes in here... We were only in here for a short time though, so I'm not sure. I suggested we'd leave after hearing that scream. Which I still wonder was the source..."

Kiyoshi nodded his head, taking a swig from his drink. "That was Naoki-senpai, I believe. I don't think I was informed what happened but I think something might have scared her. Caroline said she wasn't a fan of jumpscares and clowns..."

"I see..." Izuna paused for a moment, recalling the events that had transpired about half an hour ago. "I wonder what's the story between those two..."

"A-Ah, I'm not too sure but... I'm a little curious too..." Kiyoshi murmured, fiddling with the bottle in his hands.

"Hey, if you two are gonna gossip could you do it will doing inventory for the freezer?" Taro interrupted, filling a pair of cupboards with the spices he's found. "Shirotani's doing more work than the two of you."

It was true. While they were loitering about the medical student had been busy typing something on his DIG-ID at an amazingly fast pace. A digital keyboard floated just above the screen of the device and his fingers danced along it nimbly. Or through it...?

Either way- he was typing up a storm. Until he suddenly stopped.

"...I require the report of the items found in the freezer. Ah, but first..." He stood up from his seat- a stool that had been placed by one of the counters and made his way to the sink. Sliding off his gloves, he dunk his hands under the water of the sink, keeping the appendages hidden from the others.

"And he's at it again..." Taro sighed softly, pinching the bridge of his nose. Well, it seems that was his most important duties that needed to occur in set intervals.

"Ri-Right! Come on Kokomaru-san." Tugging on the boys arm, he pulled him over to the door that led into the giant freezer space. Gripping the handle, the blond calligrapher desperately tried to pull it upon but the large slab of metal had no intention of moving.

"Come oooon...!" He groaned, twisting the handle left and right quickly as he continued to try and force it open. Eventually, the resilient door creaked open slightly and with it, a burst of cold air hit the pair.

"...Was it really that hard to open...?" Izuna asked, a small smile tugging on his lips. The shorter boy pouted, café eyes unamused by that comment.

"Yes!" Pulling the rest open, he stomped his way inside- nearly slipping on a thin sheet of ice. "Woah!" He exclaimed, sliding into a large piece of meat hanging on a hook.

"...Gross..." He muttered, wiping off some of the meat juice that had gotten on his face. "Uh... Let's see... I think this is beef...?" He poked the meat curiously, staring at it.

"He-Hey, why don't we have a chef check out these meats? I don't know what I'm doing!"

"You're doing fine, just call out everything you see." Izuna ordered, smiling at the boy from the doorway. "Besides, we don't have any super high school levels who know all about meat."

Letting a small whine escape his lips, Kiyoshi continued maneuvering his way through the freezer- or meat locker as it would be more appropriate since there's been nothing but meat lounging about. Well, there were some containers of seafood but that was beside the point.

"Izuna, where'd you put the glasses? I can't find them..." Taro called out, flipping open cupboards.

"Coming!" The boy walked away from the freezer's entrance, which in turn provided the door the opportunity to slowly swing in. With a loud sound- that was near deafening for Izuna -the door slammed firmly shut, with it's occupant stuck inside.

"...Oops..."

"Eep!" Inside, the poor boy had jumped from the frightening sound, clinging to a large piece of beef. Although the room itself had lighting, it was dim due to there only being one light for the unnecessarily large area. Shivering, Kiyoshi looked around, his eyes slowly adjusting to the slightly darker surroundings.

Then, he heard the potter patter of something moving.

Tensing up, the blond dug his nails into the meat, not daring to let go. "Okay guys, real funny! You can stop now!"

 _Pitter patter. Pitter patter._

Several more feet danced along the floor of the freezer followed by a heavy silence. Swinging slightly as he hung on to the meat, the boy slowly began to realize that he wasn't in here with the others...

And just possibly...

 _Pitter patter. Pitter patter. Pitter patter._

Someone they've yet to meet. This time the footsteps were louder, seeming to echo from behind. We're they trying to get the jump on him...? He wouldn't have it- he was a tough guy... To an extent.

"Hello...?" He called out, but received no response. Climbing down from the meat, he slowly began walking towards the sound- not like it was a bad idea or anything. As he continued moving, the soft sounds of gnawing graced his ears in a rather unsavory fashion.

He moved a few more paces and stopped. Inhale. Exhale. Then, scream.

"Ahhhhh!" Though it wasn't as loud as Naoki's scream, it managed to reach the trio just outside the freezer. Falling to the floor, Kiyoshi scrawled away backwards trying to keep away from the corpse.

Or rather- the steak meal for the rats on top of it. While it wasn't necessarily a skull and bones, it certainly looked like it had been here for a large sum of time. It's smell had been masked thanks to the layer of ice covering it, giving it a slight glow under the sheen of the light. As for the actual corpse itself, it couldn't be determined what the gender was but from the hair it looked like a male.

Sort of.

Their face had been completely bashed in, blood frozen as it seemed to have been trying to pour from the likely fatal wound. Littering the floor around him- or her -frozen in the ice looked to be teeth. Not to mention splatters of blood were evident on the floor and some on the wall.

On top of the corpse were rats desperately trying to bite through the ice to reach their meal. Why they didn't go for the other meats was beyond him and at the bottom of his list of worries. When did this corpse get here? No, how long has it been here. ...Why was it in here...?

"...and this is why I wasn't going to check anything..." Shirotani spoke, a blank stare on his face and earning the attention of a shivering Kiyoshi. Scrambling to his feet, the boy made his way over to the male- causing him to take a step back when the calligrapher got too close.

"Shi-Shirotani-san!" He exclaimed, fright still resident in his body. However, the ravenette didn't respond and merely turned on his heel. "Wa-wait! That was a corpse...wasn't it...?" He followed after him, moving quickly.

 _ **Finale Evidence**_

 _ **Frozen Corpse**_

 _A corpse of a male- or possibly female -that had been found in the freezer. It seemed to have been there for a long time and it seemed like whoever murdered them really didn't like their face. Poor thing._

 _ **[IMG File has been attached]**_

"Ah, Kiyoshi! You're alright!" Izuna exclaimed as the pair made their way out the freezer. "I was sure something happened to you!"

"Why did you scream?" Taro asked, cutting straight to the chase as he stepped away from the door. Arms were folded as he stared at the blonde, awaiting a response.

"...There was a corpse, gender unidentifiable as well as their identity. Their face was smashed in with great force, probably a blunt object and it's likely they were here before we were and-" _Thud! Click._

"The door has locked itself..."

"Are you kidding me?" Kiyoshi shouted, causing Izuna to wince a bit as he moved to adjust the dials on his headphones. Tugging on the door, the boy tried to open it but as was stated, it was locked. "How are we supposed to show this to the others?"

 ** _"You don't!"_ ** An all too familiar voice pointed out as they appeared overhead.

"And why exactly is that, hostess?" Taro asked, glaring menacingly up at the carefree virtual girl who simply smiled at him in response.

"I can't have people knowing the freezer that stores all of the meat had rats in it!" Not even gonna mention the corpse? Okay. "So the freezer will be locked until I get rid of the rat problem!"

"...But you're a hologram..." Izuna pointed out, swinging his hand through her to prove his obvious point. "What can you actually do...?"

She gave him a blank stare before a cat-like grin settled on her features. "I just gotta eat my mushroom and I can become-a-solid and stomp on those rats." She jumped up, her fist acting as though she were hitting something, but the boys just stared at her. "Oh- right! I forgot! You guys are _stupid_! Such a shame..."

"Stop skirting around the subject, woman!" Kiyoshi demanded, feet placed on the wall beside the door as he continued to pull. "The corpse that I saw inside here- I need to show it to the others!"

Another blank stare before she tilted her head in confusion. "Corpse? What corpse? I don't see a corpse. Have you been eating the meat raw Kiyoshi?"

"Wha- no! I don't do that! You know precisely what I'm talking about!" The confused expression on her face remained there and it didn't seem like it would be clearing up anytime soon. "Gah! Just forget it! That thing better still be there when we get back!"

"Wait, we're leaving?" Izuna inquired as the boy stomped past, causing him to stop in place.

"We didn't get everything that was in the freezer..." Taro pointed out. "Though I suppose the bossy woman will just have to deal with it since the door is locked by our babysitter."

"...Already sent the report through the private messaging app." Shirotani added, picking up his white labcoat and flinging it casually onto his shoulder. "...I think leaving would be the most viable option as opposed to waiting here. She did demand us to return to the lobby in an hour or so."

"Right! Let's go!" Kiyoshi declared, pointing out the exit to another room as the boys began leaving, allowing him to remain behind. "Wait no, don't leave me!" He shouted, darting after them- almost tripping over his two feet as he did so.

"Bye-bye!" Hitomi shouted, waving to the group before turning to the freezer. "Corpse huh..." She floated through the steel door and popped inside the freezer. Hovering down a few rows of meat, she stumbled upon the corpse that the frightened boy had mentioned.

"Mmm... It seems like cleanup had been forgotten about here as well..." She noted,looking about for any more corpses. "Seems like it's the only one... Well, I'll throw it out with the rats and meat..."

"...They're not supposed to break at this stage... It'd be bad if that were to occur..."

* * *

 _ **Current Location - Western Hallway Room No. 0021**_

"Was I really that bad...?" Naoki asks, arms wrapped around her knees as she sits off in a corner in a room. She hadn't really checked where she was going when she ran off but she wound up in this room in order to avoid anyone who would come after her.

"Yeah... I guess... But it's not like they're going to come looking for me so..." She sighs softly, continuing the conversation.

B-But it's not my fault! That's just... That's just how I am..." She stops speaking for a moment, time slowly passing by. "...I know it doesn't always solve everything, but I don't like confrontation..."

Another bout of silence. This time, the writer's head snapped up as she stared heatedly across from her. Into a mirror with the image of her curled up on the floor being reflected perfectly.

"If I do that and mess up- then you'll die as well!" She shouted- at her reflection, shaking her head briskly. "I don't want that to happen- the last thing I want to risk is your life! Not since..."

She trailed off, her gaze turning it's attention on the floor beside her. "I'd do anything you'd ask but I can't do that. At least- not now when it's risky... Okay...?"

More silence.

"Great! Thank you! I always feel better after our chats..." She looked up, a large smile that hadn't been seen since she woke up had made it's appearance. She genuinely seemed to be happier than before- perhaps she just needed a talk with herself...?

 _Knock knock._

"...?" The girl stared at the door, tilting her head in mild curiosity as she wondered who it could be. They seriously didn't come looking for her, did they...?

"Naoki? Are you in there...?" Came a somewhat exhausted voice whom she identified as Emi. It was obvious to her, after all they were both classmates and schoolmates. Standing up from her spot, she slowly made her way over to the door.

Hesitant, she gripped the door knob and twisted, the lock automatically coming off with the lotion. Pulling the door open, she was greeted by the excited, yet concerned expressions of her two friends.

"Naoki!" The two girls squealed, throwing themselves at her and knocking her to the ground. They were overjoyed to see her, not to mention she didn't seem to be hurt at all. Definitely a good sign.

"We were so worried about you!" Asane exclaimed, releasing the girl while Emi continued to hold her and snuggle her. "Are you okay? You don't look like you're crying..."

"Ah, yeah... I'm fine now... I think." Naoki replied, giving her a small smile. It was slightly true, she did feel fine. But Senri's words still bothered her a bit. Furthermore, it was only a matter of time until...

"Well- I don't care what they think. Supporting-characters or not, as long as we're important to each other, that's all that matters! Senri was a jerk for saying that- what kind of protagonist is he?"

"Ahahaha..." The writer laughed at the girl's comments- not entirely understanding them but she supposed it had to do with the games she was so brilliant at creating. Why, she herself had the chance to play a few of them and they turned out to be quite enjoyable.

"I don't think he's that bad but... I certainly don't like him. Too much of an asshat." The two girls smiled at this, even giggling slightly. "I used to think he was kind of cool but...he's an enemy so..."

"Enemy?" The acrobat echoed curiously. Emi on the other hand slapped her hands to her face with a fearful expression on her face.

"Naoki! You can't! You don't have any extra lives!" She shouted, shaking her friend as she said this.

"Huh? What? _No!_ I meant because he's in Silver Wing!" The misunderstood stated, trying to recover from the dizzifying attack she had received. Only to be shaken yet again, this time much more vigorously.

"Even so- you don't have to kill him!" The otome game creator shouted once more, "We haven't even delved down your route enough! You can't go so soon!"

"That's not what I mean! Oh God, I think I'm going to be sick..." She held a hand to her mouth before the movements were finally stopped thanks to Asane's intervention.

"Uhm, I think she's talking about the school events... Remember? At the first competition Naoki-Senpai would yell for our team to kick the crap out of Silver Wing every chance she got." She smiled a bit at her first view of a competition between the schools- it was extremely exciting. "And Mr. Matsuda scolded her doing that."

"Ohhhh... Oh!" Emi blinked a couple of times as realization dawned on her before looking at her dear friend with a perplexed expression. "Wait- didn't you know Senri was in Silver Wing already...?"

Silence.

"Pfffft-" The brunette clamped her hands over her mouth, falling over as she tried to stifle her laughter.

"Oh hush! It's not my fault!" Naoki huffed, crossing her arms. "I wouldn't have noticed his school since I was getting harassed but that she-witch." Immediately, all laughter had ceased. The air had gotten heavy at the mention of everyone's favorite blonde.

"Right- that's what we came to talk to you about. What exactly transpired between you and Caroline?" Asane spoke slowly, trying not to step on the most obvious land mine as she took a seat.

"Yeah- I never quite saw all the things that happened, just the end results." Emi chimed in, rolling onto her stomach with her feet in her hair.

Naoki seemed a bit hesitant on speaking, biting her bottom lip and gnawing on it slightly.

"Well..." She took in a deep breath before continuing.

[Omitted for free time info- please wait one moment! (\\(^0^)/)]

"...And that pretty much sums it all up..." The girl let out a breath she had been holding in, looking at the blank faces of the two girls. "...Well...?"

"I think you should try being friends with Caroline-senpai!" "You should make amends with Caro-chan!" The two girls stated simultaneously, surprising the girl. She certainly didn't expect that- why she had almost looked flabbergasted.

"Wha- are you kidding me?!" The girl in question threw her hands in confusion. "How did you even arrive at that conclusion?"

"For the sake of the viewers, we cannot disclose that information. My apologies comrade." Emi stated solemnly, a saddened look plastering itself on her face as she touched the girl's shoulder apologetically.

"No... I don't know where she got that from, but just trust us on this. We wouldn't want you to get hurt which is why we're telling you this." Asane explains a bit more clearly, a bit of desperation in her voice. "And it does seem like Caroline does value you as a friend so I'm certain things will be okay if you guys talk."

She didn't buy it, not one bit. She didn't understand how they reached this conclusion, it just didn't make any logical sense but... They were her friends after all.

They wanted what's best for her after all, right?

 _Trust their words- I think they're right._

Naoki frowned a bit at the voice, letting out a small sigh. "Alright... But if I find out that she was far more evil than I anticipated, I'm fighting both of you." Squealing, the two girls hugged once again, effectively crushing her.

"You won't regret this Naokicchi! May the ship sail! Friendship ship that is!" Emi stood up, turning to leave the room. "But before that can happen, we have to get back to the lobby. Don't want to get scolded by our big breasted lady protag."

"E-Emi!" Asane called after her, flustered quite a bit by her words. "Don't say that!" The girl simply laughed before jogging down the hall, followed by the energetic acrobat.

Naoki continued sit there, mulling over things. "So... Even you think I should try to make mends...?"

Silence.

"...So she's not the enemy then...?" Another moment of silence.

"...I see..." Standing up, the girl slowly took her leave of the room, closing the door behind her. "Right, I'll wait until an opportune moment arises and strike. Don't worry, I won't fail. This will be easy- I am a writer so I can plot it perfectly and it'll go along without fail."

A small smile adorning her lips, the spectacle wearing girl tottered off after her friends. Yet again, as she spoke, there was no one around. Who was she speaking to...?

Moments later, the glow of our familiar host appeared in the hallway. "Hmmm... That is very interesting... According to her file... That makes her _much_ easier to manipulate than the others! Ahahahaha!" As quickly as she appeared, the hostess vanished to carry out her duties.

* * *

 _A/N_

 _Well, that was a thingy. .-. Plenty of things this chapter and a big sorry for everyone who thought they would get to hear Naoki's side of thing- no can do just yet. Mostly for plot reasons and FT points and all so my apologies for that. Overall in pleased with this chapter and I'm getting antsy for the next one. Free times are next! And you know what that means, right? Character development! And you know what that means! Character death! No wait, that last one is really sad. ;; I really don't want anyone to die-partly because I'm getting indecisive about my lineup but stilllll. ;n;_

 _Multiple changes this chapter. I altered Hitomi's speech text so it's like everyone else's except for when she first appears. What do you guys think about this? Keep it or lose it?_

 _Also- this sparked up in my mind as I was writing out review replies but I'm interested in what Pokemon you Pocket Monster Fans think the cast fits with. (This can include MMC- though she hasn't had much told about her orz- and Hitomi if you'd like)_

 _Anywho- here are some review replies!_

 _ZodiacNerd11- Mulling over it a bit- I've decided that she may make a cameo. It's not entirely certain when or will but she will make an appearance. I can guarantee that much. c: That matter has been addressed in both the first A/N and a PM- I hope things are clarified. Ah, the punishment affects everyone in some way, shape or form. I can't give too many details on how- cause that could be a spoiler. But at the same time- it couldn't. Who knows~ But yes- punishment means it standard definition- and will remain a mystery as to what specifically. Oh goodness, it could be Naoki. Who knows~? I left the name out on purpose c: It could be any one of the trapped ladies or someone different altogether. Dununun. Im glad you found the script portion to still be enjoyable- I tried out a more thorough writing of an exploration to test it out and see if everyone finds it as clean as the other. If not, I'll probably stick with the other style. Hnnng- I'll probably end up refraining from writing often to avoid typos. Since I won't have computer access as often as I used to since I'm out of school I'll probably end updating a few chapters one week and go die somewhere the next and just alternate like that. (Especially since it's hard for me to look scour for typos and go to edit them since I can't read it as efficiently as I'd like in the editor. Hrg- the struggle. As for the explanation- I can only explain a few certain things to an extent so I hope you can bear with me on that. ;; There's some things that absolutely cannot be throughly explained for a specific element. My apologies but I'm glad to hear you're still enjoying it! ^-^_

 _SqualinaTralala- Is it because she seems like that really cool guy that makes the ladies go swoon~? If so- then perfect! :D I kind of view her as a Prince Charming-ish kind of lady- adoring the ladies she so much loves. How dreamy. (/)w(\\) I need to stop. I'm glad that you like Kimiko as a protagonist- and even better that you can't choose between them! I want to make sure that they're both extremely interesting as the leaders of the pack despite them both having two completely different views on people. I think they'll definitely compliment each other quite well though- for what I have planned at least. c: For the trial, it will be reflected in a third person view. As for how things will progress, well… I'll leave that up to your imagination. (Mostly because I'm not too sure on how things will go but I'm working on it! Sort of.) The second part of your review can be found answered at the first A/N at the top and/or your PM inbox. (I sent one to everyone since I figured I'd be late with this update ;;) Also, I'm glad you liked Dia's free time! (That means he won't be getting spotlight in the actually FT chapter, sorry guy ;n;) I think the free times might be like that instead of script, add a bit more sentimentality to it if you know what I mean and all. Ah- sorry about the screen time issues- hopefully this chapter focusing on the others makes up for it (\\((unu;;) And oh my goodness, I hope you didn't break the F5 key ;n;_

 _Lushtorious- Hnnnn- thank you for your praise and I don't think so! I can only write characters as I see them, so I think you imagined him triply amazing. (^/^) I'm glad you love every character as well- I love them too. ;v; They're like my babies- but not really since I didn't make them OTL._

 _Adzan- Omg- I demand to be the SHSL Fanfiction Writer [must battle seventy-eight million other people] Actually, I change my mind. ;; FLEEEEE! Senia OTP- (untilNaokikillsthembothslashslash) Ah, but yes- I think Senri needed a bit of insight on why passive-aggressive people are his least favorites. And Dia's backstory is just so cute I just had to add some too like hnnnng. But no free times from them for a while. As for that dark thought- what if eating their hands gives them the power of their crest and to unlock the doors? I just ask the author about this! :0 (goes to mirror) Also- we chatted it up about that little rules bit so I think that's clarified now c: As for the gun- it means Kimiko's gonna shoot people who don't follow directions! :D Bang bang. As for the script- I tried using exaggerated writing for this- though it's not even a legit exploration and I cry as I think script is a better option but this chappie wouldn't have been as long. And good- let's keep it that way. They're both lovely protags- even if they can't be shipped together cause Dia is everyone's bae. (-stabbed-)_

 _OrangeLover10- I got mah rocket launcher, I'll blow the fannies off of them. Pow pow. Monokuma-Senpai, please notice Hitomi. ;n; Or else we'll never know what her SHSL is/was. (Hitomi needs your wifi to power her…evilness. Please donate? ;A;) Let's just ship Dia with everyone- he loves er'ebody and needs to take care of his babies. c: Kimiko thinks her name should go first, she says she's far more superior in the relationship. Is it bad when I scroll through this- I can't find any typos except for like when autocorrect turns someone's name into something else? (Naoki becomes Napkin, it happens all the time) Cry for Naoki, she needs our support so she doesn't go cray-cray. ;x; Sorry I had to omit the part about her and Caroline- can't have her spilling things without a proper free time._

 _Goldenyellowrabbit- Or kill for the satisfaction of murder? :D Just kidding- maybe. We only kill once, right? Yolo. (Though some people like to kill twice, shame on them) And I do indeed c: I can't wait for the first trial. Hyuuhyuuhyuu. Awww, a grass skirt? ;v; I'm jelly, I wanna wear one too…_

 _DreadedPrinny- Hitomi retreats accordingly and admits defeat- this time. "Bright Slap" This really made me think of Pokemon and made me imagine Carol as a Clefairy. I do not know why and oooooh TV Tropes! :,D Ask and you shall receive- just kidding. Since Dia got booted from the FT page it's a three-way tie between her Ken and Kiyomi soooo, I've got a special plan for that. All in due time. Just remember- the polls change so people who haven't gotten their free time (or have yet to appear in a free time) will be changed accordingly in the poll to keep things uh, fresh? Woah- down-to-earth? I think I'm writing wrong but now I know how to write a character like that. (Sorry Kimiko's creator ;v;- I shall fix my mistakes as best as I can) However, I'm glad that she and Senri are both enjoyable to read and I hope to keep you torn between the two of them! :D They're too fantabulous. B-But Dia goes well with everyone! Even so, there must be a limit. Dia please don't hurt me with your macaron skills ;v;_

 _Cupcake Swag Master- Yeah we're gonna ship ship ship ship all we wish, sink away our haternation. Don't ever stop, ship all you want. Shippy shippy kissy kissy. (Oh my god, I can't xD) All the artwork is just fantastic, I love them all and I just wanna hug them to pieces. ;m; so beautiful. Would death keep you from shipping them? Or… Maybe… Caroline stealing him away?! :OOOO Oh my goodness, -throws Yuuji after you- YOU FORGOT THIS!_

 _ShadedLhyt- Kimiko had no doubts she would be the protagonist. When I interviewed her she even said that she was such a protagonist that she was the one directing the interview and that it was actually to see if I could be the author for this fic. I almost cried. Oooh, I see I see. I think this exploration will be a bit more to your tastes then, I hope. Regarding the doors, ah, that'll be revealed in the next chapter. c: -looks suspiciously at the next floor's layout- Uhm…_

 _Sp1r1t- You- I love you so much. ;A; But I shall try my best to never let you wait a week. I couldn't bear the pain of letting you wait so long. (So I hope just a couple of days was okay)_

 _The Ultimate Ultimate- Hiiii! It's nice to see new faces! :D And uhm- I don't know if I can do that yet, I mean…marriage is a big step- we haven't even moved in together yet. 0/0;;;;;) Im glad to hear you're enjoying it- it makes me happy when someone who hadn't submitted a character is enjoying the story. Makes it feel as though I'm doing something proper as a wannabe author (/)/(\\) I'm glad to hear you're like Kimiko but I shall do my best to make Senri cooler! Sexier? I dunno- but it'll be some adjective! Yuuji is funny isn't he? It's always the funny guys that gotta die third… -wipes tear- Omg no wait- that isn't a spoiler. Nope._

 _Cappy- Yay more headcanons :DDD –cries for Dia- My apologies Didi. Please forgive me. And you're welcome- credit goes where credit is due! c: And wow really? ;; I feel kind of awkward doing it then. And hnnn I'll market it (to like forty people cause she's so underrated right now but she'll get all the attention she needs soon!) Oooooh, prom was recent-ish? I hope it was totes fab (\\(^w^)/) and I can just imagine everyone with fancy dresses and tuxes. Hnnng- too much love. And I'm glad you can't choose! c: I love them both so much that k wouldn't dare to choose- I'd cry before I choose. I'm also happy to hear that the exploration style was to your liking- I'll try to make it a bit longer the next time I get about to that stage. Shino and Yuuji both kill me but I think IRL I'd be face palming at Shino every chance I get and try not to kill Yuuji when he mimics me. ;;; Oh my goodness- I can't, I'm cracking up at the last bit. Breadsticks XD Ah yes, I noticed that in a few SYOCS I had read/am currently reading and I thought that was a nice touch. I hope they don't mind that I did that unu;; (You know who you are) Definitely humiliation for MMC, I bet her macarons were the best. ;x; MMC as the mastermind is a possibility- but who knooows. I don't know c: And oooh- I'm excited to see when you do!_

 _Chi-Mibuu- (Darn, how about this time? ~(0 o 0)~ I think this fic should've just ended at rule 9- everyone just falls to the ground when they hear it. (-shot by firecrackers-) And yes, Kimiko is a headstrong fighty no-nonsense taking lady. She'll punch a ya buns, punch a ya buns!_

 _I just wanna thank everyone for reviewing. You guys are such sweet little lovable fluffy joys that brighten up my days. I value you your thoughts and no amount of gratitude can express how thankful I am for you guys to take time out of your day to just type up a review so thank you very much! ;u; I'll try to get the next chapter out even faster- and with even less typos._

 _[Edit: I THINK I GOT ALL THE TYPOS]_


	9. Chapter 7: FT-1

_A/N_

 _And here we are with the first actual installment of the Free Time events for the fic. So much hype! (\\(^0^)/) These are the kiddos you guys voted to see more about and as the harbinger of your wishes, I present them to you and I hope you enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed writing them! Ooh, a short A/N for once- hyuuuhyuu. As usual, leave a review or send me a PM with your thoughts on this chapter. Criticism is best but I also feed off your praise! (But the story feeds of your criticism. I'm so deep -stabbed by legit philosophers-)_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 7: When Can I Find Bae..._**

"Please, tell me what exactly were you doing in the kitchen? I thought I sent you to go get Senri?" The angry ravenette shouted at her junior, hands on her hips and her face turned into a nasty scowl.

She was not pleased. No- she was _pissed._

"I-I went to go get him and I talked to him like you asked me too... I don't know why he's here..." Dia answered, keeping his head bowed. It was easier to imagine Kimiko's face glaring at him with disappointment and anger than actually looking at it. How he loathed such looks. "And... I was making macarons... ...Do you want some...?"

He gestured to the large tray placed at the check-in desk, steam wafting over them to indicate they were still fresh.

"...Only because they're good... I'm still pissed that you don't even know where he's at." The movie director made her way to the tray, taking a few handfuls of the French cookies for herself and began consuming them at a rather fast pace.

"Not to mention- why were you three chuckle heads in the kitchen as well?" She directed her fury to Kiyomi and Hitaka along with their little hacker friend. "I told you to make sure he stays put in here and not to leave. But instead you guys skip down to the kitchen."

"We were hungry, man. It's not that big of a deal," Hitaka brushed her off casually, shrugging his shoulders. He didn't get what she was fussing over. So what if they weren't where she told them to be, it's not like she's their mother.

"That's not the point- the fact that you guys weren't here makes things problematic. We wouldn't have known where you fools would've been. It's all about keeping track of everyone's position." She paused to slap Ken's hand as he tried to reach for one of the cookies, desiring to keep them all for herself.

Poor Senri. Or maybe this isn't so bad for him.

"We-We're sorry Kimiko-san." Kiyomi apologized, bowing her head politely much like Dia had. "It was just for a quick snack break and it would've been bad if we passed out from hunger..."

"Especially since we had found out about that thing!" Ken chimed in, smiling at the girl. Upon everyone's return- well, everyone except Senri that is -Ken had shared the bit of information his group had discovered about Hitomi's true existence. People were obviously perplexed but it was a lead at least.

"...I suppose that would have been unfavorable... But what about your group?" Kimiko pointed a finger at Shirotani and the three boys next to him. "I don't remember assigning Daigo to your group- why was he with you?"

"Ah- that... He didn't have a group and... He didn't wish to get in trouble with you by not doing anything productive..." Izuna reported for the slow speaking medical examiner. Muttering under his breath, he mentioned something along the lines of it being pointless anyways.

"I see. Well- good job nonetheless. The lack of meat quantities- or rather meat in general compared to the other things is a hindrance. Was this all that was in the kitchen?" She asked, referring to the inventory that she had received from Shirotani.

"Ah... About that... When we were investigating I found a corpse in there... After getting locked in the freezer and escaping, Hitomi locked it in order to clean up the rats that were in there." Kiyoshi explained before saluting promptly. "That is all sir. Uh- er, ma'am."

"Right... Anyways, Asane's group and of course, my own performed their tasks excellently. However, according to both reports of my group and theirs- there are some apartments that are available. Additionally there appear to be no doors bearing any crests on this floor. The entertainment room and manager's lounge are both locked at the moment so explorations could not occur in those areas."

Kimiko took in a deep breath before continuing. "And it seems that Hitomi is late on the motive which throws the whole schedule out of the loop. How problematic."

"Ah, but isn't that a good thing?" Asane chimed in, "I mean- that way the gears won't get set in motion and nothing bad will occur!"

"She does have a point, but it's only a matter of time..." Taro spoke up, keeping his arms crossed as usual.

 _ **"Sorry sorry!"**_ Came a rather unapologetic sounding expression of regret from the students' DIG-IDs. It was obvious who the holder of the voice was- though they seemed to sound a bit troubled. _**"I'm a bit tied up with a few things on my side so there'll be a slight delay on the motive. Ah, but the freezer is cleared of the faulty meat and rats and has been fully restocked along with boxes of seafood. I've unlocked that area along with the entertainment room and the manager's lounge so enjoy those to your heart's content!"**_

 _Click._

"Well, that makes things a bit easi-"

"Come on! I'm telling you- there's a corpse in the freezer!" Kiyoshi declared, darting down the hallway leading to the kitchen area and effectively cutting off the movie director. A few curious students followed after him, so not entirely believing and others simply having the desire to eat something.

"Hey- stop! I didn't release everyone yet!" Kimiko shouted down the hall, but her voice didn't quite reach them. Or they just decided to ignore her entirely. Turning around to the remaining students, she found some to be in the process of leaving as well.

"Nnng... I'm feeling sleepy..." Emi muttered, climbing onto Asane's back. "Carrying to my apartment, please? It'll lead to a good route, I promise." The acrobat simply laughed before adjusting the girl into a more comfortable position. Without so much as another word, the pair took their leave.

Eventually, all who remained were the powerless director along with Hotaru, Kiyomi and Dia.

"Uhm... Can I go to the kitchen to make some more macarons Mayu-senpai...? I kind of promised Senri-senpai the ones that you ate..." He spoke softly and carefully, not desiring to piss her off more than she already was. She stood there for a moment before throwing her hands up dramatically.

"Go ahead! I don't care! It's not like what I have to say matters anyways! Just leave like the lot of them!" She huffed loudly, stomping her heeled boots against the hardwood floors. Taking this as his cue, the boy silently left for the kitchen, not desiring to bother her.

"So infuriating! Now what am I to do..."

* * *

 _ **Free time!**_

 _'I suppose I could explore to the places that were unavailable...'_

Pulling out her own DIG-ID- oh wait, it's still dead. Shoving the device back into her pants pocket, the girl huffed loudly as she made her way down the main hallway. Taking a left at the end of the hall, she made her way towards the residential hall.

"Dia mentioned something about nameplates...?" He had informed them that in this hallway that each of the students had their name placed onto a door with a silver nameplate. Oddly enough, these rooms didn't have numbers on them which makes them suspicious.

Finding her own room, she swiped her DIG-ID across the scanner and hearing the faint sound of a click, she pushed her door open. "Huh, I guess they open even with dead devices..." She noted, waltzing inside her room. She stopped to stare at the area, a bit surprised by it.

Well, it certainly fit her at least.

Pinned against the walls were posters of her favorite female movie directors in all of directing history. There were also a few VRVDs, or Virtual Reality Video Disks, stacked on her desk along with a computer, camera and helmet. Not to mention they were state of the art but they weren't the ones she called hers. Paying no mind to them, she closed her door and found a charger sitting on her bed.

"Ah... Perfect!" Taking the cable, she plugged it in to her device and into an outlet by her bed. Setting her DIG-ID on her bed, she began undressing herself, leaving her in her birthday suit. Taking a hand through her short tresses, she made her way into the bathroom and began taking a shower.

A rather _long_ shower.

After about thirty minutes or so, she appeared wrapped in two towels with steam flowing out from behind her. A towel for her hair and one for her curvaceous body. Quickly tending to the issue of drying her locks, she was dressed in mere moments with an exact replica of her attire.

"I don't know why they make multiple copies of the same outfits for this games but I suppose it's fine..." Raking a hand through her hair, she turned on her device, finding that she had something in her private messages. or rather- a few things. The most recent was the message from Shirotani regarding the inventory.

Rolling her eyes, she tapped the next one that didn't seem to have a sender and immediately started a download.

"Wait- what?"

 _ **Initializing Download...**_

 _ **1 percent... 32 percent... 57 percent... 73 percent...**_

 _ **Download Complete**_

 ** _Senri's Student Profile has been updated! Lvl 1 Achieved!_**

 ** _Kobayashi Dia's Student Profile has been updated! LVL 1 Achieved!_**

"Okay..." Deciding not to mess with the device for now, she unplugged it from it's charger and opened the map. "Let's see... Where to go... Ah- how about here?"

* * *

 _ **Location Selected - Entertainment Room**_

 _A room on the first floor and just past the residency hall. Inside were various television sets as well as virtual game stations. There were also a few retro games such as Dance Rhythm Revolution Plus and Final Fantasy CLII. Of course, there was a dart board placed on a wall and a pool table. There were plenty of coaches and chairs for people to sit as well._

"That should summarize this room. Save." The director mused, pressing a button on her DIG-ID, recording her description of the room. "Sucks there's no magazines though..." Sighing a bit, she looked around and found a few people enjoyin themselves in the room.

Hitaka was currently engaged in a virtual boxing game- whether he was doing well or not she couldn't tell. Caroline and Naoki aat off in a corner, engaged in a seemingly serious conversation. Best not to bother them. Lastly, was Taro, just sitting in silence while he read a magazine.

...Where did he get that from...?

Moving to approach the male, Kiniko took a seat next to him on an unoccupied chair. "Good day Hiragaki." She greeted, a polite tone escaping from her mouth as she spoke.

But this elicited no response.

"I said, good day Hiragaki." She spoke with a bit more force in her voice, earning a glance from him before her turned to reading his magazine.

"Did you need something...? I'm busy with reading right now." The boy turned a page, waiting for the girl's response.

* * *

 _ **Free time with Taro?**_

 _[Yes] **[Hell no]**_

* * *

"Actually I was just leaving. I have no time for disrespectful swine like you. Hmph." Standing up, the insulted lass flicked her hair as she walked over to where Hitaka was. The male had just finished up his game and was currently taking a water break.

Furthermore, he reeled of sweat.

"Ay, what's up Kimiko." He held up a hand for her to slap for a high five, but she just stared at it blankly. Awkward, he just dropped his hand to his side.

"Oookay..."

* * *

 _ **Free time with this sweaty lump of muscle?**_

 _ **[Just a small chat... Right?]** [Eww no, I just showered!]_

* * *

"Oh, what? You want to hang out? Am I hearing this correctly?" The ravenette blinked a couple of times, observing the girl cautiously.

"Just try not to touch me with your sweaty meat cleavers- okay? I just took a shower before coming here." She warned, glaring at him for good measure. "Anyways, is there anything you'd like to do since you have the trouble of being in my presence for the time being?"

"Uhh... Yeah- actually! Come on!" Despite her warning, he gripped her hand lightly and pulled her out of the room. She was tempted to swing a fist at the fighter- just once.

In moments, the pair arrived at the dining area just before the kitchen. "Take a seat and I shall be back with my specialty." A good natured smile forming on his lips, the fellow super high school level departed for the kitchen.

Taking his suggestion, Kimiko took a seat at a random table and waited. A couple of minutes passed, and he reappeared from the other room with a tray in hand. Stop the tray were two submarine sandwiches with little olives on toothpicks struck through them for good measure.

"I probably should've asked you what you like on your sandwiches but...I'm pretty confident you'll like it anyways." Placing the tray on the table, Kimiko merely stared at it in slight disgust.

"...What did you call this? A sandwich?" She asked, eyeing the oval-shaped sandwich. She certainly had her doubts on this wualifying as such a thing.

"You've never had a submarine sandwich...?" He asked, looking at her with wide eyes. So that's what this barbaric looking thing was called. Interesting. "You've got to try it. It's delicious."

"Not to be rude, but how do I know that this... _Thing_ doesn't have poison on it...?" Kimiko inquired, prodding it with a piece of silverware that had been set on the table.

"Then do you want the one that Iade for myself?" He offered kindly.

"How do I know that one isn't poisoned in the event I asked about my own sandwich. I know plots- I am a movie director after all." She crossed her arms, eyeing him cautiously.

Sighing in defeat, the boy held his hands up in defeat. "Then how about we split one- I'll take a bite first then you know it's not poisoned." He suggested dryly, giving her a wry smile.

"That would be acceptable."

"Wha- are you serious?" Hitaka stared at her, a little bit surprised that she actually agreed to that. She didn't seem the type. "Well, okay..." Taking a knife, he held his portion of the sandwich down as he began cutting a straight line through half the poor delicacy.

"Here, as requested." He held up the layered meal filled with various things such as onions, tomatoes, lettuce, cold turkey- just to name a few visible things. He took a large bite out of it, chewing ravenously before swallowing hard.

"Your turn."

The girl simply stared at her sandwich, a bit uncomfortable with how he ate it. Nonetheless, she picked it up delicately and held it to her lips, hesitating. A few seconds passed before she finally took a bite out of it. Slowly, she chewed, finding herself being hit with a number of flavors.

"Woah- whut ish dis?" She asked, a bit of food falling out of her mouth as she spoke. Immediately, she clamped her hand over her mouth and began chewing and eventually, swallowing. The fighter held an amused smile as he watched.

"My specialty. Of course, I can't tell you the secret behind it but I don't mind making it for you anytime." She certainly wouldn't mind that either.

Taking another bite- this time more hungrily than the last -the director devoured her share of the sandwich in a matter of seconds.

Hitaka couldn't help but chuckle at this, beginning to consume the other sandwich he had made. "Is there anything you wanted to talk about? Since you did approach me after all."

"Oh? Right." Kimiko paused, staring at the wall behind him. What would be something to bring up...?

 _ **Select:**_

 _1\. Football_

 _2\. Kiyomi_

 _ **3\. This situation**_

"Mmm... Yeah, this situation is pretty grim... Though I'm certain we'll be fine. Probably." He shrugged his shoulders, continuing to eat the sandwich.

 _'Doesn't look like he's too interested about that... Maybe I should bring up something else...?'_

 ** _Select:_**

 _1\. Football_

 ** _2\. Kiyomi_**

 _3\. This situation [x]_

"Huh? Kiyomi? What about her? ...Did she say something about me...?" Seems like that certainly caught his attention, considering he put aside his half-eaten sandwich.

"No, not really. I was just somewhat interested by your history with her. From what I've heard, you two dated?" Kimiko asked, propping her elbows up on the table and folding her hands under her chin.

"Uh... No. Well yeah- I mean." He fumbled over his words, unable to give a proper answer. "...it was just one date and-"

"So you did then?"

"...Yes."

"That's cute." Short pause. "Why'd you guys split after one date?"

"Excuse me?" He seemed a bit surprised that she had asked that. ...Wouldn't everyone ask that though? "I think it's thats a little personal, don't you think?"

"Oh. My bad, I suppose that is. Sorry." Kimiko pursed her lips before settling on another question. "Then can I at least ask who ended it so prematurely?"

Hesitance was clear on his features and she was about to retract her question before he spoke again.

"I did."

"...You did?" She asked incredulously, staring at him with mild surprise. He nodded his head slowly in response. "Then why-"

"Like I said, personal."

"I just wanted to know why you were concerned on whether or not she said anything about you." Kimiko stated, a bit irritated that she had gotten cut off.

"Oh, sorry. I guess- I dunno. I still like her maybe...? I mean we-"

"Greetings fellow captives!" Caroline exclaimed, barging through the doors with a Naoki in tow. "We have just made ends and cleared up everything. There are no longer any spoiled crumpets between the two of us! Right Naoki?"

"...For the most part- yes. We are still rivals though. Once we get out of here I'll defeat Silver Wing at the next competition." The bespectacled writer stated, a bit of confidence seeping from her words. "We're no longer enemies- just rivals."

"That's good news!" Hitaka chimed cheerily, standing up. "If you'll excuse me Kimiko. I had a good time with ya. See you 'round."

"Ah, wait," she called out to him but he simply waved her goodbye as he left the room. "Ugh- now I'll never know what happened between them..."

"Hmmm?" The two girls eyed her curiously as she slumped over the table, slightly disappointed. It was as though she had finished watching the end of a drama with a painful cliffhanger.

 ** _Student Report Update!_**

 ** _Hitaka Yuushi Level 1_**

 _Apparently he's the one who ended things with Kiyomi for personal reasons. I can't help but wonder what exactly those reasons were- he seems adamant about not sharing those details. Furthermore they did something and... His sandwiches are amazing!_

Checking her DIG-ID, Kimiko was perplexed but the notification but paid it no mind. It didn't seem important at the moment.

"In other news, the motive has et to be delivered. I suppose I could wait around but... Doing nothing is pitiful." Standing up, she pulled up the map on her drive.

"Now... Where to go... Maybe...here...?"

* * *

 _ **Current Location - Residency Hall**_

 _Rooms on the first floor labeled specifically for us. I would've preferred my actual apartment but, I suppose it doesn't matter now. There also seem to be things pertaining to our talents in the rooms..._

"This is actually pretty neat..." Kimiko mused, making her way further down the hallway before stopping in front of Senri's room.

 _'I haven't seen him since he stormed off- I wonder if he's in his room being a useless bum.'_

 _Knock. Knock._

 _...No response._

"I guess he's out. Whatever- his loss." Shrugging her shoulders, she walked a few more paces before stopping at Emi's door. "Maybe Kubarachi's home."

 _Knock. Knock._

 _...Click!_

"Hello...?" The girl peered out of the crack of her door cautiously, a bit of surprise appearing in her eyes when she saw Kimiko standing before her.

"Hello Kubarachi. How are you doing?" The director returned the greetng, a faint smile on her lips.

"...Fine, just... sleepy I guess...?" Emi replied, glancing about a bit. "...Is it really my chance to shed light on my route? The flag- I can see it..."

* * *

 _ **Free Time with Emi?**_

 _ **[Sure, she's sooo cute!]** [She's starting to weird me out man...]_

* * *

"Gr-Great! ...Uhm... You can come in if you'd like..." The game developer opened her door wider, allowing Kimiko to step inside.

"With pleasure."

Upon entering, the director was greeted with a rather interesting sight. Like her own room, Emi's had various posters plastered on the wall but to a much greater extent. A majority of them were males, each of them in bearing a provocative pose and a sensual gaze.

Discomfort immediately made it's nest within the unsuspecting woman. The owner of the room didn't seem bothered by it as she plopped down on her bed, a few game cases falling to the floor as she did so.

"Oh! Do you like the posters?" She inquired, taking notice of how hard her guest was staring at them.

"...They're quite lewd..." Kimiko stated, finally breaking her gaze in favor of one lone poster that stood out to her the most. A woman- who bore a rather curvaceous figure similar to her own stood with an air of superiority.

"But I like this one. I like it very much."

"That's one of my favorites as well!" Emi chimed, hopping off her bed with renewed vigor. "She's one of the female characters in 'Spring Paradise: Blossoming Roses.' I think it's the best one in the series."

"Series? Series of what?" The girl asked, tilting her head at the excited ball of sweetness.

"Ah- the chain of games I'm working on. Er- was working on." She corrected herself, pausing. "There's to be six in total, but I've only finished two. Hehe- I've been slacking..."

"Ah- that's right. You were accepted to Saint Oracles for creating games." Realization had dawned on her- she had forgotten that the girl had suh an avid interest in such a thing. It was pretty interesting to her to say the least.

"Yep!" Emi nodded her head, smiling brightly at the girl. "Say-say, do you know what _kind_ of games I make?"

"What kind you make...? Hmmm..."

 _ **Select:**_

 _ **1\. First Person Shooters**_

 _2\. Card Games_

 _3\. Otome_

"Those one games- right? Where you try to shoot up everything?" Kimiko guessed, sounding pretty sure on her answer.

Though judging from the grimace on the other girl's face, it wasn't quite correct.

"Do I really come off the type toile those kind of games...? I thought everyone saw me as cute and fluffy..." ...Did she just get depressed from that?

 _'Okay- definitely not that. Cute and fluffy. Which sounds cute and fluffy...?'_

 ** _Select:_**

 _1\. First Person Shooters [x]_

 _2\. Card Games_

 ** _3\. Otome_**

"You are. I just made a small mix up- you make Otome games, don't you?" The director calmly stated, attempting too up her flub with the girl's talent. This seemed to be correct since her mood did a complete 180.

"Oh! Thank you! And that's right; I make Otome Games." She opened one of the drawers and pulled out a game, holding it up for Kimiko to see. "Basically- games designed to aim for the girls of the world!"

"They're absolutely fantastic- even though they don't have things like combat or anything, they're still enjoyable. And hnnnng! This feels like a scene just out of my favorite game and-and...!"

Kimiko stood there, nodding her head politely as the girl continued off in a storm about both games she has made and ones she admire.

"Say-say, is there a specific route you're gunning for Mayu-san?" She suddenly asked, surprising the girl with the suddent topic change.

"Uhm...?" The girl paused, arching a brow in slight confusion. What the hell was a route? Did she explain that at some point...? "I... Cannot select just one... All...of the _routes..._ hold different promises but I shall walk down the one that manages to pull me in with unrivaled beauty."

 _'What kind of blasphemy is escaping my lips?'_

The girl before her stood there, staring at her in utter silence. Did she break her? Kimiko was about to say something before the shorter girl took in a deep breath.

"Oh...my...God... Is this... Is this reality...?" What. Emi clasped her hands, leaning forward with excitement bursting in her eyes. "Ca-Can you repeat that for me? Word for word? Please?!"

"Uhh..."

"Nevermind! I have it ingrained in my mind forever! I can't believe I didn't notice this before. I should've noticed this before!" The bespectacled girl- though they were both wearing glasses -wrapped her arms around Kimiko, sigh escaping her lips.

"Cheré-sama..."

Excuse me who?

"Sorry, but I'm not... Uh, Cheré, was it?" Kimiko stated, trying to pry the girl off her- but holy crap she had a grip.

"Oh- right! Of course not! B-But you could pass for him!" Emi chimed enthusiastically as she was like a troublesome stain on a shirt. However, the last bit certainly struck a nerve in the movie director?

" _Him_?" She asked, clenching her hands into a pair of tight fists. The harsh tone in her voice went unnoticed by the other girl as she pulled out a poster and a portable gaming sevice from her desk drawer.

"Yes! The likeness is uncanny! Mind blowing even! See?" The game creator unraveled the poster- revealing a rather dashing man. Unlock the other males on the poster, this one actually had a fondness for clothes- rather regal looking ones I might add. His hair was jet black and streaked with gold highlights, just like the one glaring holes in the poster. Furthermore, his eyes were a bright yellow.

Just like her own.

"Mayu-sama, meet Prince Cheré Avelenne the Third from the nation of Rouge! Isn't he dreamy?"

Kimiko stared at the poster, unable to find any words. So, she nodded in a rather robotic fashion.

"I'm glad you think so as well! Here- I may not want to part with the poster but you can have a copy of the game. It's in the device!" Emi thrusted the device she held into the other girl's hands, smiling quite happily.

"...Thanks..." Kimiko returned the smile with an uneasy one before turning on her heels to get out of there as soon as possible, leaving Emi alone with her poster.

"Ehehehe- I hope this was enough to convince the God above to have mercy on my life. Do you think so Cheré-sama?"

* * *

 ** _Current Location - Manager's Lounge_**

 ** _Student Report Update!_**

 ** _Kubarachi Emi Level 1_**

 _Although she seems quite reserved and shy this girl is a freaking toddler on a sugar rush. She seems to have an obsession with this game character... Although it was cute seeing her like that- I can't help but fear her..._

 ** _Item Obtained!_**

 ** _VR-PSP Plus_**

 _A game console that Emi gave me with I assume is her favorite game. ...It seems to be missing the headpiece though..._

"...Why do I feel like I'm missing something though...?" Kimiko wondered aloud, tapping her cheek before it came to her. "Oh right- room depiction."

 _The manager's lounge certainly seems like a nice place to relax. Though it lacked the amount of television sets and gaming devices of the Entertainment Room it had magazines littered about on tables and neatly perched on racks. There were also recliner chairs with headphones attached, perfect for escaping. Reality that is._

"Done." Humming to herself, Kimiko slides the device into her pocket, flicking her hair as she scans the room only to find it empty. ...Save for Kiyomi who seems to be reading one of those fashion magazines.

Making her way over, the movie director plops down next to her in the recliner beside her and taps her on the shoulder. The girl, glances up and smiles a bit upon seeing the familiar face.

"Ah, Mayu-san. What a pleasant surprise." Closing the magazine and setting it on her lap, the matchmaker gives the other girl her undivided attention. "Did you come here to relax as well? These chairs are quite comfortable- who knew the manager's had such a nice lounge?"

She leaned back in the chair, closing her eyes as it began vibrating and relaxing quite a bit herself.

 _ **Disturb her R &R time?**_

 _ **[She shall entertain me.]** [I can't be bothered with her right now.]_

"I suppose I could use a moment to relax..." Kimiko hummed, leaning back in her own recliner as well, closing her eyes as it began to vibrate.

"Ah... This is the life..." Kiyomu sighed, raking her hands through her hair. "So, have you been up to anything lately? Anything fun? Romantic?"

Of course she would ask that last one.

"No, not really. I just came from spending time with Emi. She's a pretty strange girl but she's really cute..." Shrugging her shoulders, Kimiko turned to look at the girl, curiosity piquing. Should she mention that Hitaka might like her or should she keep it hush hush?

...Well, it's not like she particularly cares about other people's affairs- especially if they had nothing to do with her own.

"Oh really? Emi actually talked to you? I remember she was just kind of wary of me. It kind of made me sad actually..." Kiyomi noted, recalling her first encounter with the girl and how she avoided her.

"Really?" Kimiko was a bit surprised? She was a bit shy at first though not as much Ashevborne e expected when she visited her. "She wound up getting really hyper when we started talking about her games. I think she'll open up a bit more when you guys start talking more."

"Mmm...I suppose you're right..." She didn't seem quite convinced but she supposed she'd put some faith in the director's advice.

"Say, Mayu-san, what do you think about love?"

 _Excuse me what?_

"What do I think about love?" Kiyomi nodded her head, looking over at the girl curiously and meeting her eyes, waiting expectantly. "Uh... Well, it's love I guess? Okay- that is a really abstract thing to ask, like seriously."

Another sigh escaped the match-maker's lips though it sounded far more depressed than the last.

"I'm... I'm having second thoughts... About my 'talent' if that's even possible..." She admitted, tossing the magazine off olto the side. "I mean- I loved it here before we got stuck in this horrifying situation but now... I've been thinking and it's been kind of sad to be honest..."

"..." _I'm going to regret this, but..._ "Sad how, exactly?"

"Well, you know- I'm a match-maker and all but... Considering how we're not exactly from the same school- I can understand if you're not familiar with my misgivings... I-I mean, I'm good at what I do right? It's just- urgh..."

 _I really don't get what she's talking about... But, it has something to do with her and love...?_

 ** _Select:_**

 _1\. Your breath is horrible?_

 _2\. Your matches end up breaking it off?_

 ** _3\. Your own relationships fail?_**

"...Is it because your own relationships fail?" Kimiko asked before glowering at the ceiling in annoyance.

 _'Thanks for making me sound like a bitch. ...I've spent too much time with Emi.'_

"Wow, even my blunders reached Silver Wing! Wonderful!" The girl threw her hands up in the air, expressing just how much it bothered her. "Isn't it pathetic...?"

"Yes- I mean no, not necessarily." Kimiko assured, catching herself as she adjusted herself in her chair. "Kiyomi, listen. There's so many kinds of people. There's me, so fantastic and beautiful that the only person I can date is a woman who is equally fantastic and beautiful as I am. And then there's you- a person with a gift in helping other people find love."

"...That still sounds like sadness," the other girl pointed out before getting shushed by the director.

"Do _not_ interrupt me." She warned, pointing her finger in Kiyomi's face. "Anyways- instead of you trying to find your Romeo-Juliet, whatever. Just let them find you instead- you never know where they might be. Mmkay?"

Silence.

"...Alright. If we do end up getting out of here- I'll try to stray away from trying to find a boyfriend." Kiyomi murmured, "But maybe I'll still be cursed from that time..."

"That time?"

"Ah! No! It's nothing! Nothing at all- don't worry about it!" Hopping up from her chair, Kiyomi pointed to the exit and began walking towards it. "I was just thinking out loud. Don't pay any mind to that last bit. There's no such thing as a curse hahahaha... And- Uhm, thanks for cheering me up... Okay, bye!" Quickly, the match-maker darted out the room, acting as suspicious as crazy and irritating the movie director.

"Why does _everyone_ do that?!" She shouted, pinching the bridge of her nose as she continued to sit there. "Geez, I should be more concerned about me- not these relationship issues. This is not like me at all... Urgh..."

Opting to stay in there for a while, Kimiko popped the headphones attached to the chair in her ears and began listening to some music.

 _ **Student Report Update!**_

 _ **Kiyomi Madoka Level 1**_

 _It seems that Kiyomi hasn't had any sort of success with boys for a while- or at least I'm assuming that's her type. Anyways, Hitaka's not the only one who's ended it with her. And it seems there's a much deeper story to this as well..._

 _ **Transferring Data to Point A...**_

 _ **2 percent... 13 percent... 48 percent... 67 percent... 89 percent...**_

 _ **All data has been delivered. Going into hibernation mode...**_

* * *

 _A/N_

 _I was supposed to upload this yesterday but replies at 1 am isn't exactly a good idea I believe ;;_

 _Yay- free times all about! I think these are the hardest for me to do- I end up imagining these scenes and then I forget them because I'm not at that specific scene's part then I cry. Then I start acting out the scenes in the privacy of my room and- the rest is ink on a page. (/)/(\\) I think my favorite was Emi's free time- mostly because I sounded like a weirdo when I acted out their FT while I was walking to the kitchen and disturbing my mother. For the last FT I wasn't sure who to do since it was a three-way tie so due to reasons I went with Kiyomi. Get the ex-couple in the same chapter for D'aww effects. And a bit of something else- hon hon hon._

 _Also- I'm keeping the poll open for a bit longer which also means the next chapter will be delayed for a bit so cast your votes and LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD! c:_

 _Just a random thing- I always put the at sign whenever I do review replies but they get deleted when I save yet I continue to do it. Why do I do this to myself?_

 _Review Replies! (((\\(^/0/^)/)))_

 _SqualinaTralala- Yepperino! (\\(0w0)/) And those are some snazzy ideas! *records* And who knows whether or not that will actually be put to use. c: it is a mystery. Mmmm- I don't think the final trial will be too amazing- imo. I've got a few things planned out buuuuut we'll see when we get there I suppose :o I think Naoki is one of the weirdest- or at least the weirdest I got to try portraying. Ahhh- I'm glad I got to write that bit about her, it's certainly what made me love her so much along with her being cute in general. (I love all the characters of course- except the SHSL Pastry Chef, it doesn't like making me pastries. ;n;) Naoki is secretly a terrorist and is making homemade bombs to blow up the building- she wins the game by default. I muuuust- it must be saved for free times ;v; Hyuuuu- thank you very much for your compliments- I appreciate them! And yes, I agree that is also something to fear for. But maybe- just maybe your favorites won't get offed? :o Gotta take a chaaaaassance *spooky ghost voice*_

 _ZodiacNerd11- I thought about it and I figured, why not. (Though I never expected a character I created as a joke would be so amusing to people ;;) I'll definitely keep that in mind as an option c:_

 _What if I wrote everything like this?: Kmioki wnadreed the hslal in srecah of the ohetrs, but she colud not lcoate tehm. (No- I couldn't. I'd rather chop off my hands). The typos still bother me a bit- and now there's even grammatical issues. It's okay though- just one more day. One more day and I'll be back to my former glory! :,D I hope. Naoki might be crazy like Fukawa- but she has a doctor's note! :O But hmmm. Is she...? Is she really? :O She could be- I don't know. (/)u(\\) I no longer have control of these characters. They're becoming independent. The mastermind is a blank space baby...so go write a name. /shot/ Omfg- if I could star reviews I would place like forty stars just for that reference. Emi definitely needs more spotlight for her glorious destruction- especially since she keeps it in reference to her talent like hyuuu. (Ahbutnottoomuchcausethenshemightdie ;;) When there are panties looking to be viewed, Ken will be there- I promise you. c: Hitaka's got morals- but he can't admit his feelings to Kiyomi- gotta stay a cool sandwich making bad butt B0. Omg- I love how many people comment about 999- like I loved it! "It's really hard..." (/)/(\\) one of my favorite scenes in that game. Hands up. Ahhhhh I think so too! Kimiko would be perfect as a Piplup and Dia is the mascot for this story- totes believe it!_

 _Pendragonic- Yoohoo! I'm glad you're still loving it c: Gotta give everyone some more attention. Cause now I'm Oprah. You get some attention! You get some attention! Everyone gets attention! ((^(0 O 0)^))_

 _A Dingus With Sweet Shades- Goddammit- why did you spoil it? ;x; Now I gotta get a new victim and culprit- everything is ruined. I must start over from scratch. I imagine the final trial will be like this; "Okay so- we found the answers. It's this this this this oh- and this. Can we leave?" "But uh- ...fine. You win. *mastermind dies in sadness*" *Everyone leaves- even the corpses- yay* What if it just ended here? This was just a huge preview for the actual story. Your two hour free trial has just expired- please buy an actual copy in the year XX43_.

 _DreadedPrinny- Ohhhhh, I see I see. *skedaddles to go check that out since I forgot* Oooo, I can totally agree on that._

 _Me personally? Uhm, Senri - Maybe... Magnetite (Cuz Gabby and Ty) Kimiko - Defs Piplup Dia - CHANSEY /shot/ maybe? Kiyomi - Jynx, don't ask just Jynx Yuuji - Ditto Yuushi - Maybe Hitmonchan? Naoki - Banette Asane + Emi - Plusle and Minun Shirotani - A friggen Psyduck Hotaru - Altaria Taro - Steelix Caroline - Mismagius/Misdreavus Izuna - I'm feeling Whismur Ken - Farfetch'd Kiyoshi - A Squirtle Squad Squirtle_

 _Mmm I think that's all the cast. Ah yes- Ken is starting to become a vital character. However, will that be the what ends him? That is the true question here- actually no, the true one is who is the MMC. c: I'm glad they were enjoyable- I laughed a bit myself when I wrote them so it makes me well up with mushy joy to hear that. Uhm- yes and no. /stabbed by Hitomi/ There's a lot of things that can be taken from that- but I can't share what is right. ;n; I bet money the corpse is the MMC. I bet it alllll! I think it would've been cute if she had been SHSL Wall Breaker- she's got the talent. ...Actually no- omit that. Strike from the record. ;A;! I gotta dangle the yummy carrot cake slice somehow- but it's mostly due to it me wanting the MCs to discover it- for the Student Reports and all. Noooo- I shall try my best to find them and fix them. Oh god- I'm in dire need of a computer. I'm glad it was still good though- and hopefully you didn't wait too long._

 _Cupcake Swag Master- B-But ;n; It's true- death cannot stop it. -team rocket member Caroline swoops in and steals your Yuuji- Wait- did I put Kiyomi? I-I meant Hitomi ;v; Ops. But yes, Kiyomi failed to notice it- too many bad breakups do that to you. (I think- I wouldn't know. Yessss more 999 players! c: Ohmigoodness- I'm so sorry ;n; Maybe your babies will get their shining lights next chapter. ...Which has been delayed orz. Oh my goodness- please no. I don't want the feels to come back ;v; All my otps..._

 _Sp1r1t- Thanks! I just want this fic the best it can be and whatnot so I figured that would be a better idea. Definitely holds some importance- finaaaaale trial, spoooky. I dunno- Naoki what are you planning? Please no killing yet- we haven't had a free time with you yet. ;v; But if it's inevitable- it is inevitable. Thank you so much for the compliment I greatly appreciate it and I shall! :D -makes mistakes again and again-_

 _Cappy- Oh my goodness ;n; Those ship names are adorbs. (Also loves pkmn-styled ship names and Hnnng *goes to read pkmnff* Omg the last one had me in stitches. I demand this to be canon. Author- make it canon. (No. Hush. It cannot be canon. I am sorry). Whaiiii ;v; And hyuuuu it is, I'm trying really hard to do so. ;v; Oooooh- those sound really interesting. I must admit, I'm curious and wowie- Kobayashis must be the epitomes of motherly figures then. .o. And ooooh- I see I see. I feel silly for the mixup now orz. They really are- I think. I haven't gone, but I've seen pictures. (/)w(\\) And I hope so- senpais, you know who you are. Please notice me- positively. She won't let me try them ;3; so they are forever a mystery for me. Ahaha- you like Corpse Party too? c: I believe that is where the inspiration for faceless person came from. I think- or maybe I just wanted a faceless person. *shruggity shrug* Mirror mirro on the wall- who's the most tsundere leader of them all? c: I really like having her as a leader too- it makes more sense that a more assertive person is the protag. Forget average joes like Naegi- bossy tsuntsuns is where it's at! :O Ahhh- ;; I always wondered how ElectroIDs logged info and all that- so I just kinda rolled with this idea like a Fruit Rollup. Gotta believe and have hope- they're such a cute trio. I love them to pieces and they just make me go hnnnng all the time. ;w; And I do RP (for a little bit about me for everyone to see c:)_

 _Chi-Mibuu- (I am here whenever you shall awaken and omw that is so creepy. ;;) Yes corpses are a must have in a freezer. ...Or was it food? I do not understand these human traditions- so difficult. QQ;; Ken is like- can I take one home with me? ...But I don't want him doing that to me, so nevermind. Yep c:! Omfg, when you mentioned that I ran the heck to the document and went through to correct them (or most of them) and I had to go back like ten times. It's so shameless ;n; Omg Naoki is starting form her own little harem too. Hnnnng- I lurve it. ;A; Senia 5ever! -sinks-_

 _MelodramaticManiac- Oh Hiiii new guy! :D Glad to see you're following along as well- welcome aboard! And you would be right about that- the CopyCat Yuuji. c: Yuuji can be into whatever you want him to be- except his creator might intervene orz. The same can be said for Ken- ;v;_

 _ShadedLhyt- I could never think that! I mean- I am one too soooo... And thank you very much! I don't think I'm all that good with writing "creepy things" more so lovey dovey things and ahem. OOOOH- I'm glad you loved it! I was kind of tempted to do FTs in scripted format instead of detailed flowery writing but it just happened naturally so, eh._

 _Speaking of that- did you guys enjoy it in that format or would you like to see the next one in scripted? Or just a revision of this in a scripted format. Lemme know which you prefer- it's kind of important!_

 _Anyways, thank you all to everyone who took the time to review and vote in the poll. c: Until next time!_


	10. Chapter 8: Hide n' Seek

_A/N_

 _Although I said there was going to be a delay in the second freetime event- I opted to postpone what I was going to do instead. Screw the schedules. -punches in the throat- So anyways, this next set will include the top three from the poll, as usual. Since there was a tie... ...There's still only three, but you can expect a little extra something something. I dunno what it is yet, but it'll be a something. c: Also- expect rapid updates since we're chopping time down to the first murder. And then investigation happens and updates slow down ;;_

 _But question- would you prefer quicker updates or faster updates when that actually comes around? .o. (I mean- the only thing I do besides this is play mobile games and sleep ;;;)_

 _A-Anyways, sorry for keeping you; here's the next chapter! :3_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 8: Hide n' Seek_**

 ** _Initializing Download..._**

 ** _4 percent... 29 percent... 57 percent... 77 percent... 82 percent..._**

 ** _Download Complete!_**

 ** _Hitaka Yuushi's Student Profile has been updated! Lvl 1 Achieved!_**

 ** _Kubarachi Emi's Student Profile has been updated! Lvl 1 Achieved!_**

 ** _Kiyomi Madoka's Student Profile has been updated! Lvl 1 Achieved!_**

Senri stared at the very screen of the device that had woken him from his slumber. He read each name as they appeared on the screen, a micro version of the aforementioned students appearing as they appeared to be jumping for joy. It was...really strange. Furthermore, how exactly did this occur on his device? He hadn't spoken to any of these people- at least not that he can recall as of late.

"If you're so confused- then check it out!" The voice of the AI that had taken root in his device spoke, appearing on top of the screen with a playful smile on his lips. "These were probably sent from the other A.I... I wonder if the other person has noticed these too... Probably- since they're gonna be smarter than you!"

Staring at the child with a far from amused expression, the journalist shrugged his shoulders before tapping the option "Student Report Cards." He wondered if that was there before as well, but decided not to ponder about that for new.

He was itching for some new information.

Immediately after touching it, the screen faded to black before mugshots of each of the other students appeared- by school then name -including himself. He arched his brow before glancing over to the unnamed AI in slight confusion.

"What is this for?" He asked, holding his DIG-ID in his hands as he sat cross-legged. The little on simply laughed before tapping on one of the mug shots- Kiyomi's. The action resulted in pulling up an elevated holograph containing various bits of information about her. Starting with her name, measurements and her school affiliation as well as her age. Oddly enough- her date of birth was blank. Maybe she wasn't really a student- maybe an artificial intelligence like Hitomi with no legitimate age.

 _Not._

"It's for any data that you gain from engaging with the others." The A.I. explained- pointing to each bit of info that was provided and causing it to highlight. "Kind of like...what schools use to asses students before the accept them. Except there's no mention of your grades and all that- what would you guys use with that anyways? At the bottom is this section where _Special_ _Information_ goes regarding something personal that they share with you. The DIG-ID, like with evidence, automatically records it as a text file and stores it here. When you collect seven pieces of this special info- something good may happen!"

"...Something good...? ...I have a feeling that you won't tell me even if I ask..." Sighing a bit as obnoxious laughter filled the room, Senri tapped the first box of information under Kiyomi's profile. Upon doing so- a bit of text covered the rest of her profile's information.

 _"It seems that Kiyomi hasn't had any sort of success with boys for a while- or at least I'm assuming that's her type. Anyways, Hitaka's not the only one who's ended it with her. And it seems there's a much deeper story to this as well..."_ The journalist read the recorded information- taking note that it was morphed into a third person's perspective. ...Did the DIG-ID automatically do that or was it someone else...?

"Also- since there's another person gathering information like you, I recommend working with them." The little guy suggested- his cheeks tinging in pink as he took a bit out of a digital almond. "Regarding several things about social hierarchy and all that bologna, there may only be information that they can get and vice versa. Just thought you should keep that in mind. And one more thing..."

"What is it?" The gray haired boy inquired, arching a brow. Needless to say, he was quite surprise the little nuisance was being so helpful. It was really bizarre in his opinion.

"Can you give me a name?"

 _The fuck?_

"Do you not have one?" He asked, a blank expression plastered on his face.

"Duuuuuuh. Are you stupid?"

Senri cringed, the usual irritation making it's glamorous return. Donning a forced smile, he offered a few suggestions. "How does Asshat sound? Or fuckboy? Or maybe you can just be nameless." If A.I.'s knew fear, then this little guy was certainly showing it. He stared at the male, trembling from the sheer intensity in his suggestions. I believe he was quite happy that he wasn't a solid existence.

"Kidding-ish. I'll just call you Kyouya. Now, shut up." Scrambling to speak, Kyouya disappeared as the owner of the DIG-ID turned the device off. Raking a hand through his hair, Senri laid back down to stare at the ceiling overhead- clearly deep in thought. This situation truly was a problematic one, furthermore it seemed like there would be some bad blood between him and a few of the others.

Plus...

Lifting a hand, he placed said appendage on his cheek where Caroline had struck him. It still felt pretty sore even though it happened so long ago. Had it left a mark? He didn't think she could slap that hard let alone slap someone period. His lips shifted into a grimace, rolling on his side. And just what kind of good thing would happen if he followed through with Kyouya's instructions? Guaranteed escape? It was all too puzzling and-

 _Knock. Knock._

"Senri-senpai!"

Ears twitching at the calling of his name, Senri rolled over and onto his feet. He was surprised he actually heard his voice- he typically manages to block out all outside disturbances whenever he's thinking or focused on something. ...Maybe because he reached a wall...? Shrugging his shoulders, he made his way over to his door and opened it slowly, revealing Dia with a tray of macarons.

A small scowl adorned the younger boy's lips as he held up the tray to his senior's face- rather aggressively. "Here's your macarons you bum of an upperclassman." Wow, he really didn't expect that coming.

"...Did I do something?" He inquired, wondering what could've caused the other to be so...displeased with him? Upset? Aggravated? And those macarons smell...nice. Shifting his gaze from the boy, he focused on the macarons that threatened to enter his breathing space. He nearly took a step back, the smell slowly becoming too overbearing for him.

"Hmph! It's more like what you didn't do." Dia corrected, lowering the tray as he glared at gray-haired male. "Kimiko-senpai chewed me out because _you_ didn't show up at the lobby. I was told to make sure you were there and then when I come to bring you some macarons- I'm standing here knocking for like three minutes! This tray is heavy!"

"..." Senri just kind of stared at the boy before reaching out to take one of the little cookies- a pink one -and tossed it in his mouth. Chewing on it slowly, he grimaced as a rather sweet, strawberry flavor made it's presence known on his taste buds. "..."

"Speechless? Good." Smirking, the ravenette with his reddish tints lifted his chin up in a somewhat haughty way. "Kimiko-senpai had eaten the first batch and she absolutely _loved_ them. So it's no wonder they're so good that you-"

"Blegh..."

"can't... stop... eating..." Trailing off, he watched the journalist make his way over to his room's trashcan and spit out his hard work. In _disgust_. He simply stood there in shock, his grip on the tray slowly loosening.

"Oh, sorry. I don't like sweet things," Senri apologized, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "The macarons that girl I told you about were bitter- she couldn't cook at all so... yeah..." Patting the boy's head as he closed the door to his room, he gave the ravenette a small smile. "Thanks for making me some though, I appreciate it."

 _Click._

"I-I didn't make any for you! _Like_ I said, I only _felt_ like making some. I'll just-just go give these to Kiyomi-senpai like I intended! Idiot-senpai!" Dia declared, huffing as he stomped past the boy and down another hallway. Watching him go, Senri simply laughed a bit before he too, took his leave of the residential hallway. He wasn't sure where he was heading but he'd be going somewhere...

* * *

 _ **New Location**_

 _ **Entrance Hallway**_

Making his way down the hall, Senri was stopped by the sounds of rummaging that seemed to be coming from one of the rooms. Arching a brow as curiosity had begun to take root, he approached Room 0002 and peered inside cautiously.

Though, he immediately regretted doing so.

Although it was like this before- not that he would know -the room had various cups and clothes littered about that seemed like they needed cleaning. There were also various things such as plates, old chip bags, books and now a book shelf thrown to the ground. He jumped when it suddenly crashed to the ground, not expecting that at all.

"Maaaaaan, not even behind the bookshelf? Where is that darn thing..." The perpetrator groaned, placing his hands to his eyes as he massaged them- though whether that was sanitary or not is up to debate. He walked over the garbage, stretching his legs to get over it with ease. However, doing so caused his foot to come in contact with a moldy banana peel which resulted in him slipping and falling.

"Atatatata..." He tsked, rubbing his head that had bludgeoned the poor bookshelf he knocked over.

"Are you okay...?" Senri asked impulsively, fearfully taking a step inside the room. His eye twitched, once he actually took a step inside. He couldn't tell from the voice but once he got a good look at them, he realized this person was actually Yuuji.

Well, now he knows what his voice sounds like.

"Aaaah... Senri-san. Hello, hello." He greeted, a cat-like grin adorning his features as he vaulted himself up onto the ground- taking care to avoid any banana peels as he did so. "Sorry for the mess- but in my defense, it was always like this. I'm never this slobby- _cleanliness is the secret to manliness_. Or so my mom used to say."

"I see..."

* * *

 ** _Offer to help Yuuji?_**

 ** _[Might as well- I'm cleaning this wretched place anyways.]_** _[No, I'm too busy with cleaning this room up. He's a hindrance.]_

* * *

"Would you like some help looking for..." Senri trailed off, looking around the room before his eyes fell upon the mimic once again. "What exactly are you looking for in this...pile of filth?"

"Oh! Sure!" The boy accepted, brown eyes glinting a bit. "And afterwards we can go on a short panty raid in Kimiko's room."

 _Silence._

"...That was a joke- we wouldn't be able to step foot in there." He cleared his throat before shifting to strike a dramatic pose with his arm outstretched, hand attempting to catch something. " _The journey into the kingdom of the ice would be a long and fearsome one- not to mention a deadly one for our heroes. Would Yuuji and Senri be able to overcome such an obstacle? Find out on the next Drago-"_

"Shut up and start cleaning." A thin booklet went flying from the journalist- smacking Yuuji right in the face. The gray haired boy had already began diving into a pile, separating things into a much more...organized pile of garbage as opposed to helping Yuuji look for whatever he was looking for.

"And you didn't answer my question."

"Oh, right. I'm looking for my fox mask," he answered, digging through another pile like some sort of dog- causing trash to hit Senri in the back of his head and fall into his "orderly" piles. "It was a gift from my great-great grandmother who was a priestess back in the olden days when demons were running amok and she had to use her sacred arrows to defeat them. She was amazing- I tell ya what."

"...That sounds like a character from some ancient work of fiction... And please refrain from mixing two different series." He sighed a bit, facepalming after saying that. Though he regretted that action as something stuck to his forehead.

 _Gross._

"Ahhh- you can tell? I'd expect no less from a journalist like yourself- knowing everything about anything." Yuuji hummed, lifting up the mattress on the bed. "Oooh- magazines. I think I'll take those..."

"One- what does journalism have to do with that? Two- nothing in this age would have a character like that. And three- don't touch those. We're looking for your fox mask thing." Sighing heavily, Senri stood up to look at the piles he made. From the trash on his side- he made five smaller-ish piles consisting of recyclable trash, burnable trash, old foodstuffs, dirty clothes and miscellaneous.

Though...it's not as though he put a dent in the mountains of trash dormant in the room. How long would this take...? Even if it bothered him to the point he wouldn't sleep at night- he wasn't exactly motivated enough to go through with cleaning this room. Not to mention...

Yuuji wasn't making cleaning any easier.

"Found it!" He cheered, trying to pull something out from underneath the bed.

"Finally, now we can le-" He was cut off when he saw the boy don some sort of hat. To be precise- one of those antique samurai helmets that you'd see in, well, antique stores. Not to mention, it seemed to have a mask as well. Pale grey with the mouth gaping open and although you couldn't tell, there were eye holes but with the helmet it made it seem like there was nothing more than dark circles there.

It was the epitome of creepy. And it most certainly wasn't the object they were looking for.

"Whaddya think? Pretty sexy, right? _With the honor of my family and my blade- Haku I will slay you."_ Yuuji declared, his voice taking more of a baritone pitch as he pointed a bamboo sword at the journalist, gripping it rather tightly.

 _"Now, prepare!"_ With warning, he lunged at the other male but stopped- leaving the blade right at Senri's throat. "I make a good samurai- right?"

"...I'm leaving." Turning on his heel and very much irritated- the gray haired journalist began to take his leave until he felt something on his back. Or rather- someone.

"Noooo- I'm sorry. I don't think my mask is in here..." Clinging tightly to Senri's body with force, the mimic didn't dare relent as the other trudged out the room and into the hallway. "...Does this mean our free time is over...?"

"...? What are you talking about?"

 _"You didn't even get my first flag!_ Or something like that," he clasped his hands together as he perfectly copied Emi's voice, only confusing the other even more. "...What I mean is- let's hang out some more. Come on!" Tugging on the troubled journalist's arm, he began making his way towards their next location.

"Oi, where are we going?"

* * *

 _ **New Location - Kitchen**_

The pair made their arrival to the seemingly empty kitchen with Yuuji immediately releasing his captive to dive in the fridge. However, before he could put his dirty hands on any of the contents, Senri pulled on the collar of the boy's white button up.

"What's the big deal?" He whined, flailing his arms in attempt to reach any food he could get his hands on, however- that proved to be impossible as the journalist brought him over to the sink. Dropping him in front of it, Senri rested his hands on his hips.

"Wash your hands. God knows what all you touched in there and I'd rather not get sick from eating anything you touch." He commands, turning on the faucet and letting cool water run over his own hands. Staring at the other boy, Yuuji simply smiles before hopping up on his feet to join him in the wondrous washing of their hands.

"Thanks mom," Yuuji hummed, grabbing a bit of soap for him and lathering it up in his hands. "But anyways- about our flag getting quest..."

"I have no idea what you are referring to." Senri deadpanned, keeping a blank face as he continued to cleanse his own hand. He was certain that room was the epitome of filth- if he didn't know what was. "But seeing as how you're so persistent, I suppose I'll pass the time with you for an interview. ...Don't expect me to share anything about myself though."

"Fine by me," the other boy chirped, his smile growing brighter. "But if it's okay- I just have one question I'd like to ask. What do you think of speaking?"

 _Huh?_

Needless to say, the question was quite...random if not bizarre to just suddenly ask out of the clear blue. Senri hadn't expected a question like that- then again, how would someone prepare for that kind of question.

"Speaking?" The journalist asked, trying to confirm that he heard correctly. The other nodded his head, waiting expectantly for the response. "Uh, well- isn't it just an action that we use to communicate? I mean; it has it's uses in every day life and you can convey things that you can't in messages. ...Ah well, except voice messages... ...and video messages but those require your voice so..."

"..Is that a good enough response...?"

He was uncertain about his own answer. While he might have been a journalist who spent his time interviewing others as well as jotting down information of events as he observed them, it was certainly a strange feeling being the one who was getting interviewed. It almost- bothered him to a certain etent.

"Mmm... I suppose that's good enough." The mimic hummed, shaking off his hands as he made his way back over to the fridge. "Y'know, when I was younger I didn't really like talking. I was as silent as a mouse until just one day- I snapped and let my voice ring out. Ah, no- that's a lie. It wasn't my own voice, just someone else's."

"Ah, just what I wanted." He mused, shaking a small bottle of strawberry flavored milk and opening it to take a long swig. "Anyways- the point I'm making is, do we really need to converse- I wonder if we can survive without it. With plenty of things becoming obsolete, how much longer until speech is unnecessary? Next thing you know, things will be spoken with our brain waves or something loooney."

 _What... What...?_

"Also- I wonder if this is even my real voice," Yuuji spun on his heel, stopping right when he was facing the exit. "Just 'cause the tone seems to change doesn't mean it's my real voice- I am a pro after all."

"I think that's enough for now- _farewell comrade."_ In a deep, Russian accent, the boy gave his parting words before taking his leave of the room. Senri stood there, perplexed by the boy. No- not just him, but rather the entirety of his existence. What lead him to wonder such things? Had something occurred while he was sleeping? Or maybe he was just naturally like this...

Furthermore, the thought of him not knowing his own voice sounded terrifying to him.

 _ **Student Report Update!**_

 ** _Yuuji Nakamura Level 1_**

 _Whether it's his voice or his personality- or existence as a whole, Yuuji seems to be more of an enigma than he puts out. It's...disturbing but it seems that in the past he wasn't one for speaking. One of those mutes who choose to stay silent. As for why and what lead to him finally snapping- that remains to be a mystery. Also, he seems to show some concern about the future... Or maybe he's just messing with my mind. Gah..._

"Ah! I almost forgot!" Yuuji's supposed voice shouted as he poked his head back inside. "Here- this is Dia's. Tell him not to leave things lying about in strange places- people will take them!" He tossed the bamboo sword into Senri's arms before actually disappearing out the room.

 _You should follow your own advice..._

 ** _Item Obtained!_**

 ** _Dia's Bamboo Sword_**

 _A bamboo sword that belongs to the SHSL Couturier. What the hell does he even need this for...? Slicing threads?_

Sighing heavily, the gray haired male found himself growing exhausted by the minute. Not to mention, something interesting has nestled in his mind. Perhaps, when he got the chance he would actually try and have more of these talk sessions with Yuuji. Hmmm... maybe this, student profile thing would actually turn out being worthwhile for the journalist. Ah... who knows...

Finally deciding to take his leave as well, Senri made his way towards the exit but wound up getting hit in the face with the door. _Hard._

"Oh? Did I hit something? Is it the lottery?" An all-too familiar voice wondered aloud, peering around the wooden obstruction. Caroline's brown eyes curiously investigated what had stopped the door, lighting up when they fell upon the journalist's crumpled form as he massaged his poor nose. "Ah- Senny! I didn't expect to see you here!"

"Senny? Are you talking about _that_ guy?" Another voice echoed, pushing on the other girl. "Tell him to move already- I'm thirsty." The injured male bared his fangs, clenching his teeth as he found himself growing annoyed with both of the girls. He shifted over, allowing them to open the door completely and revealing the other girl was Naoki.

What a surprise.

"Ah- don't be so mean Kiki!" The magician huffed, crouching beside her fallen friend to inspect his injuries. "I'm sorry about that Senny, I didn't think someone would stand behind it. At least your face didn't shatter into a million pieces!"

 _What kind of encouragement... Nevermind._

"Don't worry about it. I was just leaving."

"Good. Bye bye." Naoki chimed in, making her way to the fridge. Snarling- the two's eyes met and sparks had begun to fly from the sheer intensity of their glares. Of course, their blonde friend didn't even notice.

" _Kiki!_ Don't mind her- she's just a bit grouchy with you since you told her off. I bet she has a crush on you!" Without warning, carrot was flung at the girl, hitting her in the back of her head and knocking her hat off. "Owie... Naokiiii!"

"Don't ever suggest that again. I'm insulted that you came to that conclusion."

"I could say the same thing." Once again- the two entered a glaring showdown, the heat from their stares strong enough to catch their eyes on fire. Caroline merely looked back and forth between the two before clapping her hands together, a large smile on her face.

"You guys can't take your eyes off each other! I think it's meant to be!" She cheered, rather happy with the situation.

"You keep this up and I will murder you the moment you blink." The two threatened, almost simultaneously which certainly didn't help. If anything, it only made the blonde smile wider.

"On a more serious note- why don't we all hang out together! I think you two could use some bonding time- that's how we became friends again." Standing up, the magician picked up her hat and sat it atop her head, adjusting it until it was a suitable position.

* * *

 ** _Join the pair for some wild excursions?_**

 ** _[Sure- I've already got a death wish, why the hell not.]_** _[They're crazy and I like living. No thank you.]_

"Sure."

"Really? Yay!" Caroline wrapped her arms around the boy, pulling him into an uncomfortable hug. "I didn't think you'd agree so I'm happy! My partner in crime and best friend are going to get along."

 _Which one is which..._

"I didn't say I'd go along with this..." Naoki stated, arms crossed with a bottled water cradled with her arms. "...But... if Caroline wants you to come along- then I don't see any problem. Just don't get the wrong idea- we're not friends, she and I are rivals. _Rivals._ "

"Yes-yes, rivals. Even though your talents aren't the same- you're somehow rivals. I understand." Senri waved her off, rolling his eyes at her persistence of teh label for their relationship. ...If it was even a relationship.

"Great! Let's go!" Hopping up, the blonde skipped out of the room without waiting for the other two- totally going at her own pace. Grumbling to herself, Naoki made her way after her friend-rival while sending a dirty look to Senri on her way out. Sighing heavily to himself, the last occupant opted to follow them- regret beginning to settle in.

 _What did I get myself into..._

* * *

 _ **New Location - Residency Hall (Caroline's Room)**_

Upon entering the room that was filled with a variety of bizarre things pertaining to Caroline's talent and- is that a coffin... ...Aside from... _that_ there were a few elementary things like top hats, batons and playing cards. There were also a few portraits of what could be assumed as famous magicians from the past. Also- there was a poster of Caroline herself posted on the ceiling of the room.

"...Very... magic-y..." Senri noted, glancing about her room. Naoki scoffed at his choice of adjective whilst the owner simply laughed- amused by his obvious interpretation of her room.

"Thank you Senny!" She plopped down on her bed, laying upside down as she watched the two stand there like a pair of elephants. They looked pretty awkward- desperately trying to keep their gazes off one another.

"You two are the most awkward couple ever."

"Shut up Caroline!" The writer hissed, grabbing the nearest object she could- which wound up being a spare cape -and throwing it. Though...it didn't exactly fly like she intended, rather it simply fell to the ground and spread out like a picnic blanket. Lovely. The Silver Wing students simply snickered at the action, causing the girl's cheeks to tinge from embarrassment at the ridiculous display.

"Oh, hush up." Naoki huffed, taking a seat at Caroline's desk and staring at Senri, studying him with an intense gaze. Of course, he could feel her eyes boring holes in his body and it made him uncomfortable. Whether he'd say something about it was another matter. He really didn't want to get on her nerves- she'd start talking and wind up getting on _his_ nerves.

"What angle are you trying to play at?" She suddenly asked, chin nestled on her arms.

Caught off-guard by the question, Senri simply gave her an arched brow in response. "Angle? I don't quite get what you mean...?"

"I think she's referring to you trying to get the ol' scooperino. Y'know- how we settled our gravest differences aside and became BFFFLBURITE's!" Caroline interrupted, thrusting her hands in the air and earning confused gazes on her. Smiling back at them, she simply blinked a few times while they remained silent. "Hmmm? Is there a ladybug on my face?"

"I almost want to ask what that means- but at the same time, I don't care," sighs the journalist, pinching the bridge of his nose as he said that. "And how you two came on good terms is the least of my concerns at the moment. Put simply- no, I'm not curious."

"Good. We weren't going to tell you anyways."

"It was a stormy winter's night-" _What kind of bloody prelude..._ "-Naoki and I were visiting my mother's cabin for the summer break to go skiing. I suggested it of course- I planned to murder her in that cabin and blame it on _Monsieur Pennyworth,_ our cross-dressing butler. It was a flawless plan involving the usage of mirrors and peripherals to evade getting from Kiki. Nonetheless, I couldn't follow through with it..."

"On that starry, snow ridden night- Naoki told me that she loves me. ' _Je t'aime, Caroline. Mi corazon- hon hon hon'_ she said."

Silence.

"...Did she just fucking throw spanish in there?" The writer inquired, gazing over to the male.

"...I'm still stuck on 'hon hon hon.' What does that even mean...?" The two grimaced from the obviously false story. "Anyways... As much as I love hearing silly make believe works of fiction, I think I'd be better off doing something more productive."

"No!" Cried out the magician, reaching her hand out in a dramatic way, effectively stopping him somehow. "Here's how it really went down. Cue dramatic music. So- after we regrouped back in the lobby as per Kimiko's wishes, I hounded Naoki down like a deranged psychopath with a spatula. Eventually, I cornered her in the Entertainment Room and forced her into a one on one conversation. Oh- Taro was there, reading magazines too. And Hitaka was playing games. And I think someone else was there...but they weren't that relevant so I forgot."

"Anyways- so while we were talking it seems that it was all one huge misunderstanding. The end- perfectly happy ending." Clapping at the end of her own, clearly edited, retelling of the story- Caroline smiled happily.

"...Wow- you sure left out all the incriminating evidence on how evil you are. Nice job." Naoki pointed out dryly, shaking her head. "I'll explain it in a brief, but much more precise way. Basically- all the events that led me to believe that Caroline was an evil demonic harpy were all "accidents." I don't entirely believe that but...considering how spacey she is- it's believable for now."

Tapping her cheek, the writer attempted to recall one of the events. "Like...when I got a can of soggy noddles poured all over my head while I was heading into the apartments. I smelled like soba- and the manuscript I was working on got ruined too! And then there was the time when she said she was doing a magic trick and every single time, it was a goddamn clown portrait in her hand."

"...I'm pretty sure she didn't know that you were afraid of clowns..." Senri pointed out, a blank expression on his face.

"After twenty-eight times?" The girl deadpanned, seriousness dripping from her words. "Anyways- the point is, I built a bridge and I got halfway over it. Now we are rivals and I am waiting for her to get on the bridge to push her off. It is an endless struggle of tug-o-war."

 _...How is that tug-o-war if you're just gonna push her off without any chance of fighting back...?_

"...Well... whatever. Can I go now?" The two girls stared at him, displeased expressions adorning their faces. He simply stared at them both before opting to just see himself out.

"You're horrible Senny! Two beautiful maidens poured their hearts out to you and you just say that? What about the child?!" Just keep on walking- ignore the crazy blonde girl spouting nonsense.

 _ **Student Report Update!**_

 _ **Caroline Illia Level 1**_

 _As usual, Caroline's intense oblivious actions and behaviors to her surroundings wound up getting her hated by someone. She also seems to like leaving out details- something I never really noticed to be honest. Maybe...she doesn't like sharing her blunders...? ...Even though she's so carefree... Gah- just like Yuuji, this woman's an enigma..._

 ** _Naoki Hamasaki Level 1_**

 _Still passive-aggressive as hell, but it's nice to see another side of her. ...No- I lied, it's horrifying how much anger she directs at me for no reason. Anyways, it seems like she misunderstood Caroline's actions and wound up jumping to conclusions. ...But can you really call it that considering how it happened so often...? She also seems ready to shoo people away unless they aren't her friend. ...Suspicious..._

* * *

 ** _New Location - Lobby_**

Senri found himself wandering into the main area of the apartment- the lobby. As expected, no one was really in here except for Ken, which was odd in his opinion. He'd expect the lower classman to be on the ground trying to get glimpses of the girls' undergarments or just simply failing at trying to hit on them. But now...he seems focused on something...?

Curious- the journalist made his way over to the boy to which he found was staring extremely hard at something from behind his spectacles. When he got closer, he found that it was a magazine- one of those _lewd_ magazines.

"Ah... Sheena's even more beautiful in this edition... It's a shame I couldn't get this one- I'm really lucky there was a copy of this around. Ahhh... the idol of Silver Wing is so beautiful..." Ken sighed, a dreamy like expression present on his face. Not to mention his glasses had begun to cloud over- was he breathing that hard or something? Jesus.

"Sheena really is beautiful- but I wonder who competes best, Kimiko or her?" Senri commented, though he didn't really pay the images any attention. He just wanted to rile the boy up a bit.

"Ahhhh! Definitely Kimiko! She's so unattainable- like a goddess floating above the gods. ...A goddess of the gods!" The hacker declared, clenching the magazine tightly in his grasp. "Furthermore- I have the chance of a life time being stuck in this place with her, double lucky! And..."

"Hiromoto- you disgust me even more than usual," came the insult from none other than the girl herself. However, as quickly as she came, she disappeared down another hallway before Ken could even muster up one of his flirtatious responses.

"Wait- what? When did she get there... ...How did she hear my most personal thoughts too!?" Surprised by this _phenomenon,_ the hacker clutched his head as he tried to think of whatever could have lead to this. Had he finally gone mad? Were there voices in his head trying to get him to make mistakes like this? ...Or worse- Kimiko had the power to read minds...

"Please no- there's too many thoughts in my mind that can't be read by anyone!" He cried out, banging his forehead against the table in front of him. His cries were interrupted by the soft sound of laughter- side rippling laughter that is. Breaking out of his self-pity daze, the bespectacled fool looked over to see his senior clenching his sides as he laughed his lungs out on the floor. ...Had he been there this entire time?

"You! It was you, wasn't it?" He accused, finger pointed directly at Senri.

"M-Me? N-No... I-I would ne-never make you choose be-between your two loves Ken..." The boy managed to wheeze out between laughs, tears already beginning to form at the corners of his eyes.

"Evil! Satan's spawn! I thought we were bros man! _Bros!_ " Though he was feigning hurt, the boy acted quite dramatically as he clutched his shirt over where his heart was.

"I-I'm no-not sorry..." Senri stated, finally coming down off his laughing high. "Anyways- it's nice to see that you're still as lively as ever. I think it's a pretty good sign with all that's happening."

"...Yeah- I suppose... Someone's gotta keep the group cheerful after all! Who better than the dashingly handsome, Shino-geek." Raking a hand through his rather short, chestnut tresses, the hacker shot him a smirk as he fed his own ego. "But... I get the feeling that the group is going to fall apart soon. I mean... Hitomi's still gonna send out the motive after all."

 _Motive...? ...Right..._

"Of course..." Awkward silence fell between the two, uncertain how to continue on this topic. "I... wonder if she'll stick with something cliché or come up with something new..." Although it was featured in almost every mutual killing known by historians, usage of families were the most commonly used motive- just barely beating large sums of money. But- if it works there's no need to fix it, right?

"Either way- I'm sure it'll be effective. I mean- they always are, aren't they..." Sighing heavily, Ken adjusted his glasses, wiping them with a handkerchief. "But let's not dwell on it, at least not now. She's been pushing it back so many times, I doubt we'll even get it to-"

 ** _Ding. Dong. Ding. Delivery! Opening messages! Enjoy!_**

"-day..." Interrupted by the announcement, clearly echoing from their DIG-IDs, the two froze as they expected the worst possible contents of the message. They didn't dare to examine it- for they feared it's control that it would have over their psyches. But- even without reading it, it's control had already began to set root.

Just like a magic spell.

Not knowing what had been sent to them only made things worse- the number of things it could be certainly ddin't help. Money? The only one likely to be set on money would be Shirotani considering he's from Valiance after all. But the others have ways of earning money as well- at least a few of them anyways. Families- the most obvious option? Could they have been kidnapped as well? If so, where were they being held? Were they alright? Or maybe something even worse- like their secrets perhaps.

It was just one thing after another before Ken finally retrieved his device from his pocket, hands quivering as he did so. When his eyes fell upon the screen- it was made clear that the only thing they could do was open the message. Tapping it, his eyes widened as they read over the text that had been sent to him.

Then, he smiled.

"...I don't think there's anything to worry about." He mused cheerfully, giving the other male a rather gleeful smile. "Go ahead- open it."

 _Is he serious?_ Senri certainly had his doubts about that. Sure, he was dying to know what the contents were but the effects that it could have on him. And...and... He didn't exactly know everything about his fellow schoolmate but it's certain that not everyone's circumstances are exactly the same. However, the reassurance he felt from the hacker's words certainly made him pull out his own device...

And inevitably, tap the screen.

 _"Kobayashi Dia- SHSL Couturier or SHSL Serial Killer? I wonder why he carries around that bamboo sword... Obviously he's not using it for designing, y'know? I bet he's banged a few guys up with that thing- or maybe a few hundred. Ah well, who knows. It's not like there's any special serial killer's running around killing with a bamboo sword. ...Or maybe he's just green... Who knows if it's safe here with him around..."_

"...It's about Dia... and...just wow..." The journalist found himself snickering before full-out laughing, like he was doing not even ten minutes ago. "Is she trying to coax us into murdering with lies and slander...? I mean- I'm not sure that this information isn't false, but I'm certain that Dia wouldn't do this..."

"Precisely! They made a mistake in selecting us- it would've been wiser to just gather up all the freshman in each school and different classes," Ken mused, a knowing grin tugging at his lips for a brief moment before fading away. "Which makes it odd- this motive isn't likely to work on us so...I don't see why they would bother with something like this..."

Shrugging his shoulders, the gray haired boy shook his head. "Beats me. We should go fin-"

 _ **Ding. Dong Ding.**_

 _ **"Everyone! It's time for bed time! DIG-IDs are set to relay this message every night at 10:30 pm. The Dining Hall and Kitchen will be closed for the night, so make sure you get everything you want from there! I don't really care what you do from there- but be careful~!"**_

 _ **Click.**_

"-d the others... How does she have the timing perfectly down...?"

"Dunno, A.I. specialty?" Ken simply shrugged his shoulders before a glint appeared in his eyes. "I wonder if I hurry now, I can get Hitomi to spend the night in my room with me. Hnnn- I gotta go man! See you tomorrow!" Not even waiting for a response- the boy darted down the entrance hall to head for the residency hall in high hopes of an eventful night.

Smiling as his comrade made his hasty departure, Senri too began making his way to his room.

 _A motive like this was perfectly safe, right? They know each other somewhat well after all- doubt wouldn't settle in so easily like that, right...? ...Not to mention the motive was just released..._

"Ah... I shouldn't think about this too much... I'll deal with it tomorrow morning..." Yawning, the boy swiped the device over the scanner of his room, pushing the door open. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

 _Click._

Once the door had closed, a figure could be seen down the hall as the lights faded into a dimmer setting. Their appearance was undeterminable as they stood there, completely still like some sort of statue.

In their hands, something glinted even in the dim lighting, giving a small sparkle. And they continued to stand there- waiting.

 _Waiting._

 ** _Student Report Updated!_**

 ** _Ken Hiromoto Lvl 1_**

 _Although he seems like a class act flirt- he's actually extremely intuitive and seems to be thinking hard about the situation at hand. Not to mention he harbors a large amount of faith in the others and that this first motive wouldn't be an issue. It's...strange how reassuring he can be at times. Even if you caught him leering at lewd magazines just a while before._

 _ **Transferring Data to Point C...**_

 _ **4 percent... 22 percent... 58 percent... 79 percent... 95 percent...**_

 _ **All data has been delivered. Going into hibernation mode...**_

* * *

 _A/N_

 _Haaaa... I'm so tired. This chapter wound up taking far more time than I intended. Also had a few cuts on some things that I wanted- but it was long enough without them so screw it. My apologies if the freetimes after Yuuji's seem a bit...short. As stated previously- I didn't want to make it all long-winded and tedious to try and get through (though it probably already is- hyuuuu ;n;). Anyways, I hope this chapter was to everyone's liking- I even decided to include Naoki for Caroline's free time event. Though, I didn't give explicit details about what led to Naoki's one sided hatred of the girl, I gave a few._

 _But you know- I wonder if that was really all there was to it? :O Who knows? I certainly don't. Nnnnope! c: Also- as you can guess, the motive for the first chapter is lies and slander. What better way to get people to kill than using lies and slander? :D No better way! Okay maybe there is- but there is a reason for everything! I've got it all planned out- have faith!_

 _Also- there'll be a quick update sometime tomorrow, I figured I might try something new, just y'know. But I'd also like to try something else. Would you guys prefer having a few shorts about some characters ooooor, a full on short story AU at like the beach or something featuring one of your schools of choice? Just let me know in your review (or just send it through PM) since I won't be having a poll for this. (I already have another one going for the last set of freetimes for this chapter ;;; OTL)/._

 _Speaking of that- the poll for the last freetimes will consist of everyone- so you can choose people who've already had their time to get some development or some who've been lurking in the shadows. However- be warned that two or more people will be gone to the giant school above and it's likely you won't hear about them. Like- ever. (Unless they get mentioned in one of the alive student's freetimes alter on ;;)_

 _O-Oh! Before I forget- review time! B3_

 _Reviews-_

 _OrangeLover10- She gets a whole freetime this chapter- do I get an 11/10? ; 3; Just kidding- x3 I gotta censor the spoilers- that's what the freetimes are for silly (/)3(\\). And somethings must stay a mystery- like all the female character's weights. (*shot*) And yes! This is my favorite part- writing out a lengthy description of the corpse. ...Ah well- maybe I shouldn't do that, but I really enjoy writing death scenes in any way shape or form. ((((\\(^w^)/)))) It's like my cup of starbucks coffee. And I'm glad you found them to be amusing- I figured it'd be nice to convey a few thoughts as opposed to just "Yes" and "No" especially since they're things a person would say. ...Maybe. OMFG I cried when I read that- it's fixed now and I'm embarrassed. Hyuuurg ;n;_

 _poffinblock- Ooooh, I'm glad- for both comments. I think writing it this way is much more enjoyable for me since I get to express my thoughts easier. Although I started writing this before your review was up- I hope that the sentences were a little less complex than the ones from before. ;;; Sorry about that. Ah- thank you ;; I think I'll try focusing on the blooming relationships as well- for example Shirotani and Izuna (who've vanished- like whoosh) to try and keep in element of both old relationships, new relationships and forming relationships. And hyuuu- Taro is still bae in my eyes. He can ice wall shut me down any day. ...That sounds really uncomfortable actually ;; And yes- I will capture him with my master ball. :O!_

 _Sp1r1t- I shall! :D I really liked having Kimiko munch on those macarons- I dunno why but I just wanted to just do it for history with the character reasons. She's not allowed to find the end, she's not Dora the Explorer level yet, sadly. QQ Poor Kimiko. I loved writing about Emi- she's just so cute and she loves games. (And maybe now Kimiko. Just kidding~ ish.)_

 _ShadedLhyt- I'm glad they were so amusing! c: I kind of view Altaria as a free spirit- I mean just look at how cute it is with it's chubby cheeks and all that. I think it describes Hotaru very well- from what I see at least ;; And I kind of sorta see Altaria as just a flying type ORZ, I keep forgetting that it's also flying. Senpais of the pokemon world, forgive me. Ah no- it's okay! c: Review responses are totes readable for everyone- at least, I think so. I'm sure it's absolutely fiiiine. If not, just punch whoever said so in the throat. :C_

 _Dreaded Prinny- Ahaha! Thanks! Oh! I think when I was writing that list- I was thinking of the Farfetch'd from the original series but now that I look back on it he was more of a trickster than a little perv. ;; Ahh- I'm glad I do. Sadism is my favorite activity- if you could call it that. Uhm... I think this gave a bit of info about why Naoki hated her- but it might not be the whole reason. c: Possibly. I hope this was as entertaining as the last- sorry for the long wait!_

 _Shadowplayer360- *gasp* Where did you get that idea from? ...I was sure that I made sure to make it more of a mystery. ;n; If you're referring to polls and whatnot- I don't think that would be an...accurate way to guess. But I don't know so ;;. I can't say that he is or isn't- just look out for corpses._

 _Chi-Mibuu- Ooooh! I see I see. (I always eagerly check my email for anything on FF and then cry when i see it's empty ;v;) But no- Fanfiction is always a great way to start a day. ...Unless it's a bad day and fanfiction doesn't help at all. ;v; Ahhh- I'm rambling. *throws life at you* Please don't die- Kimiko will be said if you can't see her eat her macarons anymore. Ahaha- no i intended to do three per FT chappie (though this was one was an exception) and yes, yes she is. c: Emi is mine forever- I kid I kid. I don't want her creator to get angry with me ;w;. And I'm glad you like this format :D_


	11. Night Wanderings (1)

_A/N_

 _;; Sorry if this made you guys think the last FT for the chapter was up. A dear friend of mine did this in a fic of their own (Crims- I heart you c:) and it was really interesting. Plus- I really needed to fill this in as a small continuation and it'd be weird for me to do it all the way whenever I update the actual- actual chapter.(And AU) Think of this as...a way to fill up any plotholes that could've occurred in the future ORZ._

* * *

 _Night Wanderings_

"Ah... I can't sleep..." Groaned a rather irritated Kimiko, laying on top of her bed, not even bothering to try and get under the covers despite how cool it was. Her eyes were droopy and it certainly seemed like she was exhausted but she just couldn't quite get to sleep. Staring long and hard at the wall above her, the gril frowned as she thought about her options. Maybe watch a movie till she falls asleep? No, she'd start analyzing it in a heartbeat. Warm milk? ...Dining Hall is closed along with the kitchen.

"This is so stupid!" She shouted, throwing her pillow at the ceiling, only to be hit with it in the face after it bounced back. Grumbling, she tosses the poor thing onto the floor and hops up off her bed. "...Maybe... magazines...?"

It certainly could work, considering there were quite a few in the Manager's Lounge- weren't there? Or was it the Entertainment Room? ..."Goddammit!" Raking a hand through her messy raven tresses, the Movie Director snatched her DIG-ID off it's charger and slowly walked out her room. A yawn escaped her lips as she pulled her door closed, not noticing that she hadn't actually done so- it was just slightly off. Setting off, the girl made her way down the hall towards the Manager's Lounge.

"...Why are the lights so dim now...? Trying to make this like a horror movie or something...?" She wondered aloud, blissfully unaware of the figure moving silently behind her before she disappeared into the lounge.

* * *

 _ **Current Location - Manager's Lounge**_

Immediately upon entering the room, the girl noticed that quite a few magazines were removed from the rack that was placed in the room. Tilting her head off to the side, she passed the thought off as she began making her way towards it.

"Lets see... cooking magazines... Video game magazines... ...Politics...?" She named the supposed topic each flimsy thing seemed to be concerning based on the image of the cover. Frowning, she simply scooped up about five or six of the things and turned on her heel to make her exit hasty.

 _Can't wander too long. The motive is already out- no matter how stupid it seems, someone's likely to kill over it..._

 _It always happens- right?_

* * *

 _ **Current Location - Residency Hallway**_

"Ha... No matter how many times I watch and make horror movies, I can't seem to shake the chill that I've gotten ever since I've been in this situation." Kimiko mumbled, clutching the magazines tightly against her chest. Naturally, she looked around as she made the short walk back to her apartment room, looking to see if there was anyone present in the hall despite how narrow it was. She didn't dare look back- after all, that's when you're most likely to find something.

Not even a couple of minutes had gone by and she had returned to her room- sliding her DIG-ID over the scanner. One last time, she looked around- first to the right, where she had came from. _Nothing._ Next, she craned her head to the left- moving somewhat slower than the previous movement.

Then, it was as though time had completely stopped.

In the midst of the dim lighting in the hallway, she could make out a figure- who they were was indeterminable with the frequent flickers of the light. Their face- seemed to be covered by something, she couldn't make out what it was exactly but...it seemed rather odd. The figure simply stood there, arms outstretched at their sides and legs spaced out.

A pit began to form in the director's stomach, barely managing to swallow the saliva that had begun to build up in her mouth. "...Hello..." She spoke, trying to keep her calm but her voice broke slightly as the words came out. However, the figure gave no response- simply choosing to continue to stand there.

 _...Rude..._

Scoffing a bit, she was about to make her way into her room before something flew right past her face- a knife. It was visible to her for only a brief moment, certainly scaring her as it disappeared into the other end of the hall. Turning her head, she noted the figure's form had changed.

Then, they began sprinting. Their movements were like a cheetah's, gunning straight for their prey. Blood pumping in her veins, Kimiko threw her body into her room and slammed the door shut as the footsteps thundered by. Thankfully, the doors locked automatically upon being closed. Biting her lip, she heard the footsteps return from the direction that they had came from. She was tempted to peer out through the door to see if they were still there but it was clear that would only lead to her demise.

So, she opted to look through the peep-hole. Standing up, she leaned against the door with her face pressed against it. Fortunately, no one appeared to be in sight.

Until an ornate looking mask appeared right before her eye, causing her to shriek and fall to the floor with a soft thump. Her heart was beating loudly in her ears as she clutched the hem of her nightgown.

"..."

She did not move from that spot. She _couldn't_ move from that spot.

 _Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump._

The footsteps seemed to resound continuously, the hunter awaiting it's prey to appear.

 _Thump. Thump. Thump._

* * *

 _A/N_

 _Okay, I wrote the last bit at like 1 in the morning. It's just a short thing that may have some relevancy to the events to the come. . Sorry for not replying to reviews this time- expect lengthy responses in the actual update. Iloveyouguyssomuchhnnng._


	12. Chapter 9: Why Is Everyone So Irritating

_A/N_

 _Hyuuu- I couldn't help but start writing this as soon as possible- especially with the turnabout of the poll. Seems like a few characters hidden well in the shadows will be getting their time to shine. c: Here's the resuls:_

 _Shirotani - 4_

 _Hotaru & Taro - 3_

 _Asane & Kiyoshi - 2 _

_Kiyomi, Izuna, Senri, Emi, Dia, Ken & Caroline - 1_

 _The top three shall be our last freetimes for this chapter- so I'll try to make them extra special/important. (Expect the same with every final freetime for a chapter) I've not much more to say (woah, that time speech change) so I'll just go oooover there. Enjoy the chapter! (/)w(\\)_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 9: Why Is Everyone So Irritating?**_

 ** _"Gooooooood morning class! This is your super cute overseer with the 8:00 wake-up call! Get up or prepare for a fate worse than death! The entire second album of Summer Kiss on repeat till nighttime!"_**

Senri groaned, body outstretched on his bed as his hands moved to protect his ears from the shrill voice of their host. Just when he thought it ended, the voice began speaking again far louder than the first time. That's when he came to the conclusion that she put the damn message on repeat. After the fourth time, he vaulted himself out of his bed and tossed the obnoxious device all the way across the room.

"I'm up already- damn it!" He seethed, glaring at the device as it finally shut up. It seemed to be perfectly fine from the impact, bearing absolutely no damage. Well, it could be because the journalist isn't exactly the strongest general in the army- but it'd be best not to point that out.

Grumbling as he glowered at the device, the boy made his way to his personal bathroom- shrugging off his nightwear as he did so. Turning on the water to his shower, he stepped inside and allowed the heated liquid to cascade down his body. At least they had the decency to provide his favorite brand of hair gel and body wash, he thought to himself though he had to admit- it was a tad bit unnerving that they new that. Squirting a modest amount of gel in his hand, he began fervently cleansing his gray tresses.

"The first morning didn't turn out as bad as I pictured it would."

* * *

"This is the absolute worst morning..."

Kimiko sat on her floor, arms wrapped around her legs. The poor director hadn't gotten a lick of sleep thanks to the events occurring last night. She didn't even have to look in her mirror to tell that bangs were beginning to form under her eyes. Rubbing her eyelids, the girl let out a rather despairing moan before pulling herself up to her feet.

Only to wobble and fall on her butt.

"...I hate this _so_ much..." Clutching her nightgown, the director wondered who that could've been. Furthermore, why would someone target her of all people? "No, that's a stupid question- I just wonder, why not take out the M.E. first..." Of course, she was referring to Shirotani, the only Valiance member around. It made sense- especially if they wanted to escape and figure out the final trial for themselves.

"...I really don't want to go out there..." Curling up into a ball, Kimiko found her eyes slowly closing as she relaxed for the first time in the past ten hours. Nodding off, the girl quickly found herself diving into a somewhat blissful dream.

* * *

Yawning as he made his way out of his room- the journalist glanced about and found a certain someone standing outside someone's door. They seemed to have their eyes trained on the door- contemplating whether or not if they should do something. They turned, beginning to walk away only to stop and go back. They repeated this several times and the boy found himself frowning in irritation as he watched this over and over again.

"Is there something wrong? Err... Ki...yomi...?" He called out, a tad bit uncertain about who this person was but the way they jumped and looked over at him let him know he was correct.

The match-maker appeared to be rather nervous- if that wasn't already obvious by her actions -as she began pressing the tips of her fingers together. Not to mention, she avoided looking Senri in the eyes. "...No... nothing's wrong- I just. Uhm, I was going to. Nnn... Do-Don't worry about it! I wasn't here!" She declared, cheeks burning a dangerous pink color as she fled down the hallway.

"...What." He could only stare down the hall, perplexed by her reaction. He'd ask about it later- if he bothered to remember that is. Shrugging his shoulders- he proceeded to head to the lobby where he assumed the group would gather.

* * *

 _ **Current Location - Lobby**_

"...and like seriously, that wake up call was a pain," grumbled Kiyoshi, clearly looking a bit on the cranky side. "If it wasn't so loud I would've stayed in bed just to spite her and it's not like she's meeting us here or anything and-and my twelve hours of sleep! I need that in my life!"

"Are you a child?" Asane- the renowned acrobat asked as she laughed at his complaints. Patting his head as though he were indeed a child only seemed to incite his fury as he pouted, crossing his arms and turning away. "Awww- don't be like that Kiyo, that's really adorable. If only you were shorter though- you could really be a child then!"

This only upset the boy even further, puffing his cheeks out even more but the girl didn't pay that any mind. ...Or maybe she just didn't notice as she leaned on his back while he was sitting, laughing joyously.

 _At least someone seems to be lively today..._

Senri noticed that the others were a bit quieter than the pair seated in one of the couches. Emi seemed to be focused on some device in her hands, eyes darting left and right rapidly before lighting up with a happy glow.

"Route- cleared! Next is... Yuusuke..." She groaned a bit after stating this, looking a bit disappointed. "...He's totally uncool..."

"Eh? What're you talking about Emi- he looks totes cool." Hotaru pointed out, pressing her finger to the screen and earning a frightened squeal from the game maker. "He's got the super cool shades- shades make the cool factor super high. And-and.." She continued rambling on about this character while the other girl remained frozen, staring at the finger still being pressed against the screen.

Opting to leave them to their matters, Senri made his way over to a distraught Kiyomi, huddled up in a corner. Tapping her shoulder- whispering a soft 'boo' in her ear, the girl squawked. Yes, she _squawked._ Jumping a bit and turning around, hand clasped over her ear.

"Wh-Wh-Wha-Why-" She tammered over her words, the fear that appeared for a brief moment being overtaken by embarrassment. "...Please do not do that- my heart nearly stopped..." The match maker let out a heavy sigh, hand placed over her chest as she tried to regulate her heartbeat. She certainly seemed to be on edge- what about specifically, the journalist could only guess.

"You seem a bit... out of it- everything o-"

"Yes! Everything is fine! Hahahaha- I am perfectly a-okay!" Kiyomi interrupted, pushing him away. "I am doing just fine. Just thinking about things- sorry but can we talk some other time? Really? Great- thanks! Bye!" With that, she resumed to standing in her corner, nibbling on her thumbnail as she continued to contemplate something. As tempted as he was to pester her about it, the feeling of someone staring rather intently on the back of his head made him decide otherwise.

 _Not worth it._

Looking around again, he paused in his sweep of the room, finding them to be short one person. Maybe his eyes were playing a trick on him? Holding up a hand as he pointed to each person, counting them silently he found that only fifteen- including himself -students were present. Who wasn't he-

"We are short one female in this group! Where is Kimiko?!" Ken shouted, interrupting the journalist's thought processes. The others- who had been focused off in their own matters immediately began looking around to confirm what the hacker was saying- some audibly gasping when they noticed that she wasn't here. Though others didn't really seem to care.

"You don't think..." Naoki trailed off, making it painstakingly clear what she was referring to. None of them answered, just sitting and standing in silence.

"...I doubt it," Shirotani spoke, taking a pause before continuing. "Mayu-san doesn't seem-"

"Oh my god- he _speaks_!?" Asane and Hotaru shouted- legitimately surprised by him speaking and effectively interrupting him. The sounds of hands hitting foreheads in unison could be heard but a moment later, though the boy didn't seem to be bothered by this.

"-like the type to die. Or at least, foolish enough to die on the first night. ...Probably." He shrugged his shoulders, retrieving his lab coat from his shoulder and sliding it on. "Though, it might make sense that she would be targeted- it seems that she would be the one assuming the role as the group's leader. Although it didn't happen too often in the past- I think we all have the common sense to choose targets that make the most sense."

Silence fell over the group once again, people beginning to look at each other with doubt and fear in their eyes. Senri himself couldn't disagree with that- but that would also mean Shirotani would be a prime target since he's in the medical field after all. Perhaps himself as well with his journalism instincts and whatnot. But, there's more to people than just their talents.

He would know that first hand- he _is_ friends with Caroline after all.

"Very well then- I shall go check up on her," the devil herself spoke, standing up with a carefree smile on her lips. "I personally believe that she's perfectly fine so there's nothing to worry about. I shall be back with her momentarily- why don't we start on breakfast in the mean time? It is morning and I could go for some crumpets..." Not bothering to wait for any sort of reply or comment, the magician hummed as she made her way down the entrance hall, heading for Kimiko's room.

"...Well, then..." Izuna scratched his head, looking about with uncertainty plastered on his face. "So... uh- who's going to cook...?" Talk about a sudden shift in topics- though Senri supposed it was better this way. Pondering that question for a moment, he raised his hand.

"I volunteer Dia." He firmly suggested, completely serious in his decision.

"Ooh! I second that!" Ken tossed in as well, eyes gleaming. "The girls in Silver Wing always coo over how amazing he is at cooking and how much he's like an older sis-" In a flash, a book had been flung through the air and collided with the boy's face with enough force to knock him to the ground.

"Shut up," the couturier himself hissed, glaring at the male. Unfortunately- it was too late.

"Ooh! Dia, you can cook?" Emi asked, putting her game on hold for now and looking at him with a suspicious gleam in her eyes. Uncomfortable by the look in her eyes, the boy simply nodded and she hopped up eagerly. "So cute! Just like Hayuri from _A Dream from Wonderland_ \- fashionable and a cook!" While she got lost in her reminiscence about a something from wonder place, Naoki cleared her throat.

"I'm not saying that I don't trust you when I point this out, but I believe multiple people should take care of food. I don't want to risk anything happening when we eat- so I volunteer myself to help out as well." She spoke- cool and calmly with her arms crossed. Her glasses rested low on the bridge of her nose, giving her a rather awe-striking look.

"...Oh! Can I help too?" Hotaru asked, waving her hand wildly. "I'm not exceptional and sometimes I forget ingredients, but I can provide some services!" Everyone's faces paled, staring at the girl with incredulous expressions when she mentioned that. They seemed to all be thinking; _'don't let her in the kitchen.'_ when they made those faces.

"I think it would be better to leave it with someone else..." Izuna stated- attempting to sound as kind as possible. "I can help out as well. I'm uh- pretty good at peeling potatoes..." This was starting to get a bit silly- could no one have decent cooking skills here? Well- apart from Dia that is.

"Oh! I can also he-"

" _No._ " Hitaka immediately declined the match maker's offer, not even giving her the chance to finish. She certainly seemed offended, pouting at the fighter with her hands clenched tightly.

" _Hey_ \- I've been practicing and I've improved... somewhat..." Even though she had begun her sentence with confidence, it slowly deflated as she resumed pressing the tips of her fingers together rather disappointingly. "...Never mind..."

"Okay okay- it'll be Dia, Naoki and Izuna in charge of preparing the meals then; to prevent anyone from dying from terrible cooking," Asane stated, clapping her hands together with a smile. However, the few people who offered- knowing that they weren't great cooks -immediately began looking even more so depressed than before. Talk about blunt.

"We/ll go ahead and get started- we'll let you guys know when we finish, okay?" Turning on her heel, the literature writer immediately made her way to the dining hall with the two boys following after her.

"Booooo; Naokicchi's already making herself a harem..." Emi huffed, leaning over the couch she was seated in with her arms dangling over the side of it, lips curled up into a rather odd-looking three-shaped pout. "And what are we going to do while we wait... Hummmm..."

 _I'm kind of concerned about Kimiko but... Caroline should be handling that so I suppose I should talk to the others..._ Senri thought, raking a hand through his hair. _Mmm..._

* * *

 _ **Free Time!**_

 _I suppose I'd speak to someone I've yet to obtain information on... Let's see..._ Pulling up his DIG-ID, the journalist began scrolling through the student profiles several times over before settling on who he'd speak to. Sliding the device into his back pocket, the male made his way over to the raven haired boy who had been isolated for some time now.

"Hello," he greets, standing over the seated boy but he receives no response in turn. Arching a brow, he leans down to stare at the boy much closer, finding that he seemed to be focused in his thoughts.

Though- Senri couldn't help but get a bit irritated.

" _Heeeeey_ ," he tried again, drawing out the syllable quite a bit as he waved his hand in front of the anatomical pathologist. Blinking, the ravenette finally took notice of the journalist, blinking a couple of times as he stared at him. Then, he tilted his head off to the side with a confused expression.

"...Have you always been there? ...And do you require something...?"

Gritting his teeth, the amber-eyed journalist nearly threw his hands up in the air- insulted by the pair of questions. It wasn't like he had a lack of presence, did he?

 _ **Chat it up with Shirotani?**_

 _ **[I might as well...]** [No- I'm too pissed off to bother.]_

"...Yes- might I trouble you for a conversation?" Senri spoke, attempting to sound as polite as possible. Not that he particularly feared getting on the boy's bad side- though it's not as he tries to do that in the first place -it was just in his nature. ...Somewhat. A few moments of silence passed after he asked his question and Shirotani's expression had yet to change.

"...I suppose that would be fine." He finally agrees, folding his hands in his lap.

"Great." Letting out a slight sigh, the journalist plopped down in the chair next to the Kurose child, raking a hand through his hair. "So- Shirotani. You're an anatomical pathologist- correct?" He inquired, barely managing to recall the title that he had read but a few moments ago. Silence ensued once again as the boy sat there with a pondering look on his face.

 _What the hell is there to ponder!?_

The journalist pinched the bridge of his nose, finding his patience to slowly begin running thin.

"...Yes- I am." Wow, such a generic response- not like he expected anything more. "You're aware that it branches out to surgical pathology, forensic pathology and cytopathology- correct? I excel in all three- of course, my talent would be the proof of that but my specialty lies in forensic pathology. I'm especially good with small blades- my favorites are scalpels." His eyes seemed to light up as he mentioned that last bit, sending a chill down the other boy's spine.

"Interesting... How long have you been into the medical field?" He asked, curiosity peaking through. Although he knew quite a bit about his exploits, he hardly ever heard anything about his history before becoming quite the medical student at such an early age. Which made him wonder- why was he even in school if he was so exceptional at what he does? ...What is there to teach?

Surprisingly- the response came a bit quicker this time around. "...Most likely since the time I was conceived. Biomedical fields seem to run deep within my family- so I suppose it would be adequate to refer it as some sort of hereditary talent."

"Oh- I see and-"

"My mother currently works as a chemist whilst my father is one of the top surgeon in the country- specializing in brain surgery. My older brother is a forensic expert, I'm sure you've often heard of them as being the most elite in the Kurose family."

Talk about cutting him off and answering his next question. Though he wanted to deny hearing about his other family members, it was true that he heard about them- but he only vaguely remembered them. He didn't exactly have details about them, but he knew just as much about them as any other regular person on the street would.

"...So- wait, your specialty is forensic pathology, right? ...Why not just be a forensic expert like your brother?" A moment after asking the question- the boy realized how rude it might've sounded. This of course, occurred often whenever he was asking people about themselves, the journalist in him was taking reigns over the conversation.

"Oh- I don't want to be the same as him." Blinking, he stared at the pathologist in disbelief. The reasoning behind it was...oddly petty if not childish. Well- it'd make sense if your family was a bunch of biomedical specialists...

Even Senri would understand a legacy like that...

"...What about you?"

"Excuse me?" The journalist asked, not understanding the question- considering how his mind kind of wandered for a moment there.

"...Your talent- how long have you been interested in it?" Oh. That made sense. "As well as what got you interested into doing such a thing. What was it again...? I can't quite recall..."

"Journalism," Senri answered for the boy, nodding his head. "As for how long I've been interested in it- I guess since I was maybe... four? Five? Like you- my family specializes in the same sort of work. Though- rather than it being an ingrained talent, it was more like an ingrained love for the field. I'm quite proud about my family and I've always dreamed of diving into the field just like the rest of them..."

He paused.

"My mother is renowned journalist here in Japan and my father works as a reporter for varies companies in and out of the country so he travels a lot. It's pretty cool- though I never get to tag along."

Silence fell upon them once again- Shirotani staring at the boy with rather curious brown eyes.

"...That sounds nice then," he offered with a kind smile. Though to be honest, it looked kind of like a smirk instead of a smile- but he was trying. "I suppose we're not all that different then. Or at least- not as much one would think."

"I guess that's true- that's pretty interesting.." It was a wonder- finding someone with a similar life like yours. Though it might not have been the same occupational field the foundation leading you to actually partake in it being similar is what was really amazing. Especially in this day and age with people slowly becoming less interested in other's affairs.

Aside from gossip of course. Everyone still loves to be nosy about that.

Without warning, Shirotani stood up, muttering a small 'excuse me' before departing. The journalist simply stared after him as he walked away, tilting his head in slight confusion. Had the conversation grown old...? They'd only been talking for maybe- five minutes at the most. Sitting there, leg crossed over the other, Senri opted to wait for breakfast to be ready.

Just a minute later, the other boy had returned, plopping into his seat.

"...My apologies, I had some urgent matters I needed to attend to," he stated, adjusting the leather glove that covered his left hand. Well, he was wearing a glove on each hand- which seemed to be a bit odd.

"It's no problem but uh, what's with the gloves...?" The journalist wasn't certain if he had always been wearing them and he just hadn't noticed or what. ...Did people normally wear those in everyday settings? Aside from your usual weirdos and people who had obsessions with leather and bikes...

"...I always wear these?"

 _Please don't respond in the form of a question._

"Really? I didn't notice until just now..." Now his curiosity was piqued. Was there a special reason why he was wearing those things? Maybe hiding a gruesome secret- like a hangnail? Or maybe he just thought they were cool. ...On second thought- the hangnail seems more likely in Shirotani's case. Pinching the bridge of his nose- Senri found his curiosity was slowly becoming an annoyance for him.

"...No, I don't have a hangnail on my fingers," the boy spoke, arching a brow at him. Had he asked that out loud? "I just do not like coming in contact with things on my hands. Safety procedures and the like- my time in the field has taught me to never take chances with such things."

 _Well that was a simple and far more reasonable response._

"O-Oh. Sorry about tha-"

"And why would it seem more likely to be a hangnail than opting to wear them because they're cool?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. The journalist wanted to slap himself in the face, can his thoughts not just stay thoughts?

"It just... er... doesn't seem to fit in with your personality?" He tried- attempting to sound as polite as possible. Though, being stared at so intently for the past thirty seconds didn't exactly console his conscience.

"Oh. I see." And that was the end of it. The two opted to simply sit there in the rather comfortable silence that had settled between them. Admittedly, Senri would've liked to ask a bit more questions but he really didn't have much to ask about. Or at least- anything that he was certain to get an answer about. Not to mention- just a few moments later, Dia had made his reappearance.

...Clad in a frilly apron.

"Hey- breakfast's finished. Hurry up and get food while you can- I'm not making anymore." The couturier announced for the room, hand on his hip and spatula in the other. "There's pancakes, sausage and- just go see for yourself. I'm starving..." With that, he turned on his heel and took his own leave of the room, his cute apron billowing with every move he made.

"That was really cute..." Hotaru noted, hopping over the couch and bouncing a few times.

"I agree!" Emi chimed, thrusting a hand in the air. "I wonder if Dia would be open to cosplaying... Maybe a nurse outfit- no wait, they have male nurses. Maybe a maid's outfit? O-Or we can dress him up as an idol and-and..."

"I don't think he'd like that at all," Taro interrupted- sending a piercing gaze at the girl. She immediately shrunk- quite put off by his interruption and the sigh that followed after. "Let's just go eat- like the boy said, I'm starving." Trotting after the other male, the economist took his leave as well.

"Ah- but what about Caroline and Kimiko-san...?" Kiyomi brought up, "Won't they wonder where we'll be at...?"

"I think it'll be fine, Carol was the one who told us to work on breakfast after all," Kiyoshi answered, smiling at the thought of food. "And who am I to disobey an upperclassman's order to eat. Let's just go already!" Tugging on the match maker's arm, the calligrapher dragged her out of there- blissfully unaware of the heated glare on his back as Hitaka followed after the pair.

Seems like Dia's apron wasn't the only thing that seemed cute. Soon after that, everyone began taking their leave, one after the other until the lobby was completely empty.

 _ **Student Profile Update!**_

 _ **Shirotani Kurose Level 1**_

 _Shirotani seems to be quite adept in various forms of biomedical subjects. It makes me wonder why he's still in high school- he should definitely be working full-time right now. Then again- he'd probably need a license and what-not... He's exceptional in the subject of Forensics Pathology it seems- so he'll definitely be helpful when investigations roll around. ...Though I hope that does not occur._

 ** _Shirotani Kurose Level 2_**

 _Oddly enough- he seemed to be a bit childish, if not petty when it came to opting for Anatomical Pathology. Though it could be due to family matters considering each of his family members specialize in different subjects. He also seems to dislike touching things with his bare hands and as such- wears leather gloves at all times. Not to mention he seemed to have some suspicious urgent matters to attend to... I wonder what they are..._

* * *

 _ **Current Location - Dining Hall**_

 _Have I been in here yet? I can't remember. Well no- I was in the Kitchen so I must have been in here at some point. Anyways- a rather large room that could fit more than the sixteen of us. Dozens of circular tables filled the room, covered with white tablecloths and adorning vases filled with roses at the center of them. Each table had six seats positioned at them- making everything look nice and tidy._

"Mmm... It certainly smells good...!" Kiyoshi stood on his tip toes, nose in the air as he inhaled the smell of fresh cooking. "I can't wait to chow down..."

"Hold your horses, let us finish bringing this food out..." Naoki chided, carrying a tray stacked with biscuits, followed by Izuna holding two trays consisting of bacon and eggs- scrambled. Finally, Dia came out with a large tray with a towering display of pancakes- it was a wonder how he had yet to drop it.

Once all food items were brought in- which also included fruits and pitchers of drinks -the students eagerly began chowing down like the ravenous teenagers they were. Though some managed to retain the table manners they had been taught it was still quite the scene. Sometime after they began eating, Caroline had returned with a tottering Kimiko at her side.

"I brought the drowsy princess!" She declared, a large smile on her face which contrasted with the downcast look on the other girl. Tugging the director's arm, the magician pulled her over to the table in which all the food had been gathered and began filling a plate of her own.

"...Doesn't Kimiko seem a bit...out of it...?" Ken whispered to Senri, leaning extremely close to him- and quite possibly breathing down his plate.

Rolling his eyes, the journalist took a bite out of the delectable strip of bacon on his fork. "She probably didn't get enough sleep- too concerned over your sexual harassment antics."

"Pfft-"

The other two boys seated at their table- Hitaka and Yuuji -strained to contain their laughter while they ate whilst the hacker simply gave his schoolmate an incredulous look.

"I would _never_ harass someone- sexually that is. I'm insulted you'd say that Senny." He dramatically threw his hands up in the air before returning to his food. The fighter mumbled something about drama queen to Yuuji, causing him to laugh a bit and earning Ken's attention.

Senri focused his gaze on Kimiko- watching her eat rather slowly as she sat with a few of the other girls. Although his friend was an idiot- he was an observant idiot. She certainly didn't seem the same as usual and judging from the bags under her eyes, she surely hadn't gotten any sleep last night.

When she suddenly stood up, excusing herself, that only managed to confirm his suspicions when she adamently declined Kiyomi's offer to escort her to her room. Something definitely had happened last night.

"Senri? Seeeeeeenri? Doofus!" Hearing someone calling him, he turned his head only to come face to fist with Ken's hand. "...Oops."

Sighing heavily, he sood up- plate in tow -and made his way to another table to finish his meal in peace. Or at least, he intended to. Plopping down across from me soon after I had moved was none other Taro Hiragaki, setting his plate strictly consisting of meat and pancakes on the table.

"...No fruit...?" I inquired, arching a brow at him. He looked up with a harsh gaze before shrugging his shoulders and beginning to eat his food.

"I don't like fruit. It's disgusting."

 _...Child._

"Really?" The journalist stared down at his own plate, plucking a tangerine slice and popping it in his mouth. "...I think you've been eating the wrong kind then." He gave me a deadpan look, pausing in his lifting of a piece of sausage to his mouth.

"...Are you my mother?"

 _Tch._

 _ **Free Time with Taro?**_

 _ **[Gotta have the children eat their fruits.]** [No. I don't like children.]_

"I might as well be if you're not gonna eat your fruits. What are you gonna do when we run out of everything else- starve?" He rolled his eyes, setting his fork down on his plate and sliding it away from him.

"Yes." Taro replied, resuming his consumption of his breakfast. "I'd rather starve to death than eat fruits- is that a problem?"

"More so for you then me." Not even thirty seconds in and Senri was already beginning to regret opting to speak to this guy. He supposed he'd deal with it for a bit longer- for the sake of the student profile. "Anyways- is there any particular reason why you don't like fruit?"

"Like I said, it's disgusting. Is this twenty questions about my preferences?" Raking a hand through his hair, the journalist closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"No- I'm just trying to be friendly."

"Well, can you not? I'm trying to enjoy my breakfast and you're making it hard." Taking a gulp from the glass of water, the economist leaned a bit back in his seat and pushed his empty plate away.

 _Enjoy what breakfast- it's already gone?_

"So, your friend, Mayu. What's up with her?" Taro inquired, elbow propped up on the table as he swirled the contents of his glass with his straw.

"Oh, now you want to converse?"

"Only if we're not diving into my personal life- don't change the subject." Facepalm. "There's something wrong with her, I noticed it. You noticed it- even Asane and Hotaru noticed it and if you hadn't noticed, they're airheads."

"Wow- nice to see you observing people like a stalker," Senri muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, there's obviously something bothering her but I obviously don't know. We're just schoolmates- we're not friends, you're better off asking Caroline."

"...Then do you have a crush on her?" Now it was the gray haired boy's turn to give the economist a deadpan look, disbelief enriching his expression.

"No, where did you even draw that conclusion from?"

"You were staring at her awfully hard earlier," Taro pointed out, a small smirk adorning his lips. "Apparently it was such an intense gaze that you didn't even notice Ken was calling out your name- he was pretty loud about it. I wonder if that's why she left."

...Goddammit. Facepalming once again, the journalist found himself getting more and more irritated with both himself and the male he had the misfortune of speaking to.

"I was just concerned- I'm not heartless. Sheesh."

"You going off on Naoki yesterday says otherwise."

There went the last bit of his patience. Glaring at the boy with eyes so icy that sent a chill down the economist's spine, Senri spoke in a low tone. "That was completely different and I'd like you to drop it here and now."

Blinking a couple of times, the boy was about to offer an apology but the journalist took it upon himself to excuse himself. He discarded the plate into a nearby trashcan before heading off elsewhere.

 _ **Student Profile Update!**_

 _ **Taro Hiragaki Level 1**_

 _Obnoxious and irritating. Is there really much else to say? He's extremely observant like Hiromoto and he seems to like pushing people's buttons till the point they get fed up with his antics. I hope to never speak to him again- though I probably will anyways. Goddammit._

 ** _Taro Hiragaki Level 2_**

 _Although he's irritating, obnoxious and quite cold when you first speak to him, he seems to have a rather childish outlook on fruits. They seem to be rather disgusting to him- though I doubt he's even tried them before. That makes two people who don't even seem to do childish things that actually do them._

* * *

 _ **Current Location - Manager's Lounge**_

The journalist found himself in the room, sitting in a recliner and desperately trying to calm his nerves. Headphones in his ears playing some rock song as he strummed an air guitar in tandem. Bobbing his head with a lit cigarette in his mouth, the boy failed to notice someone approaching him.

Their movements were quiet and steady, holding their hands up as though they were about to pounce on the unsuspecting boy. Once they were close enough, their shadow looming over him they jumped on the boy, causing him to yell and his cigarette to fall out of his mouth.

A few moments later, Hotaru sat on the ground with her head down and hands in her lap- looking quite apologetic. Senri on the other hand, had his arms crossed with a slightly irritated expression as he tapped his right foot on the ground rapidly.

"What is wrong with you?" He asked the girl, pointing at a black marking on the floor beside the recliner. "That was my last cigarette and now it's ruined because it almost set this place on fire."

She flinched at the harshness of his voice, looking up at him with her lips curled up into a pout. "...You looked like an easy target to surprise...so..."

Facepalm.

"So you try to smother me?!" He threw his hands up in the air, genuinely surprised by her reason for attacking him out of nowhere.

"With affection!" She adds in, giving him a tooth smile. Oddly enough- some sort of sparkly background appeared as she said this, causing him to grimace and back away slightly. In a matter of moments, it disappeared and he stood there, perplexed by that.

"...Please, do not do that. You will make someone flip out, okay?" He sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. Soon enough, there were going to be finger marks embedded in the sides from how many times he's done this.

"Okaaaaay!" The archer smiled brighter than before, hopping up to her feet. "Say-say, do you want to play a game?"

"...What?"

"Let's play a game!"

 _ **...Play a game with Hotaru?**_

 _ **[...Might as well keep her out of trouble...]** [Her games might be rigged, hell no.]_

"...Sure, but I'm only doing this so you stay out of trouble. ...And it better not be something stupid." Senri agreed, pointing a finger at her as he spoke that last bit.

"Don't worry- we'll play hide n' seek!"

"...Good-bye." He turned to leave but, she wrapped her arms around his waist- being dragged away as she cried for him to stop.

"Don't leave! Come on- just one round!"

"I said not to pick something stupid- you failed." He continued to try and leave, but it proved it be quite difficult moving whilst dragging the girl.

"Then how about twenty questions?" She suggested, gripping him tighter. "It'll be fun- I promise!"

Sighing heavily, the boy stopped despite managing to reach the room's exit. Prying her arms off his waist, he crossed said appendages over his chest and gave her a slight glance. "Fine. Twenty questions will have to do I suppose."

Thrusting an arm into the air as she hopped up, the girl did a short little dance displaying how pleased she was. "Great! Alright- let's go."

 _...Five questions later..._

"...Is it a Koala?"

"Goddangit!" Huffing loudly, the girl pouted as she glowered at the boy. "How did you get it so fast? I was so sure it was a really good one. Are you some sort of mind reading wizard?"

"...No. It was just really obvious..."

"...Oh."

Elbow propped up on one of the recliner's arm rests, the journalist held a bored expression while the barefoot girl sat on the floor, kicking the air as she thought of another thing for him to try and guess. "...This is boring." She stated, sitting up properly.

 _You're the one who decided to play it. ...And we only did one round._

"Hey-hey, isn't this when you ask questions about me?" She asked, leaning unnecessarily close to Senri, eyes brimming with curiosity.

"...What?"

"Cause you're a journalist! At least- that's what Kimiko-senpai told me." Is that so? Wait- were she and the director on such close terms? If that were the case...

"Putting that aside for a moment- do you know what's up with Kimiko? Why she was acting like that at breakfast earlier?" He inquired, sitting up as he did so with a rather concerned expression forming on his face- without his knowledge of course. The girl frowned, tilting her head to the side.

"You mean... like three hours ago...?" She asked, surprising him quite a bit. Had it really been that long? Geez, he just wanted to relax- not waste the day away... "Uhm- I'm not quite sure... But she seemed really sleepy!"

"I see..." He was a bit discouraged by this and surprisingly, Hotaru had noticed.

"Cheer up Senri-san!" She chimed, patting his head with friendly affection. "I'm sure Kimiko-senpai's just gonna be alright. Indefinitely!" The conviction in her words was certainly helpful. He wasn't quite sure why- but he felt like he should believe her without any sort of doubt.

"It's Kimiko-senpai after all- super strong and amazing. I don't think there's much to worry about!"

"Yeah, you're right." The boy agreed, a small smile tugging on his lips. Though she was a bit...out there, Hotaru might have a pretty good head on her shoulders.

"I bet I can balance on my head!"

...Or maybe not.

"But before we do that- let's play some darts. Come on!" Tugging on his arm, the girl hastily began dragging him out of the room despite not wanting him to leave some time ago. Though he had a small complaint- Senri allowed himself to be taken away by the girl to their next destination.

* * *

 _ **Current Location - Entertainment Room**_

Unexpectedly, the room was empty, void of any of the other students. Of course, the two didn't really mind that as they strolled over to the dart board that hung forgotten over by a corner. Plucking off five of the ten darts on the board, Hotaru tossed them up in the air a few times.

"Do you know how to play, senpai?" She inquired, balancing one of the thin- yet sharp -objects on the tip of her index finger with ease.

"No, not really. I'm not one for games like these." He answered, taking the remaining five darts and examining them. "...Is there some sort of trick to it?"

"No, not really. I just let 'em loose! Step aside and I'll show you how it's done." Complying with her command, the gray haired boy stepped a few feet away from the board, watching her with intense focus.

Hotaru gripped one of the small projectiles between her index and her thumb. Her teal coloured eyes trained hard on the circular shape of the board. It seemed like a few seconds had gone by before she flung the small object with such intensity that it's impact with the board resounded in the room.

Senri looked over to the board, expecting her to hit a bulls eye with that throw only to find that she had missed it. Instead, it had landed just below the twenty mark where the double point bar was.

"...Did you miss?"

"Nope!" Came the cheer reply, only managing to perplex him even further. "Totally intended." Preparing another dart, she fell silent once again before flinging the next one. The boy expected it to hit the bulls eye this time, but it wound up beside the fourteen mark- hitting the double point bar again.

"...That one too...?"

"Yep! You'll see!" She reared up another one, flinging it almost immediately. It's target had been the thirteen mark- the double point bar again -just across from the fourteen. Not missing a beat, she took the two remaining darts- one in each hand -and tossed them both at the same time.

The result- one landed just above the seven while the other, above the two. Both were positioned on the double bar spot.

"..."

Staring at the board, he wondered if the feat she had just accomplished was supposed to be impressive. ...Or if she had actually accomplished anything. A few moments passed by until he realized that there was also a shape. Connecting all of the darts would form a star-shape.

Perhaps that was her intention.

"Sure- I could go for the bulls eye, but it wouldn't be as fun or amazing if I didn't have some creativity with my shots," the archer hummed cheerfully, plucking the darts off the board.

Was this the true ability of someone bearing the title as an archer. ...Archer for darts at the very least.

"Did I impress you senpai? Hmmm?" She asked enthusiastically, bouncing a bit as she made her inquiry. Laughing a bit, the boy nodded his head.

"Sure did- I didn't expect that but it was...pretty cool..." Doing another one of her little dances, the barefoot teen pulled him over and forced him to try a hand at it.

Let's just say- the results weren't good.

"Wow- you really suck at this..." Hotaru noted, staring at the board that was void of any darts. They had all fallen to the ground after coming in brief contact with the wall around the board. "You haven't gotten any of them to land on the board..."

"...Like I said- these games aren't my thing..." Senri muttered, raking a hand through his hair. "Anyways; I think that's enough fun for today. I'm getting tired..."

"Eh? Really?" She certainly seemed disappointed, but she shook her head. "Alright..."

"We can play some more tomorrow, alright?" He certainly meant it, but she didn't get the least bit excited about it. "...And... thanks for cheering me up... Though I really didn't think I need it, I'm just glad I had some reassurance about Kimiko so... Thanks Hotaru."

Surprised by his gratitude, the girl looked up at him with awestruck eyes. "No problem! Glad to have been of service!" With a small wave in farewell, the two parted ways- both of them heading off to wherever they desired. For Senri, that would be his apartment.

 _ **Student Profile update!**_

 _ **Hotaru Amemori Level 1**_

 _As pointed out by Taro- she's quite the airhead but she seems to notice things after long periods of time. Somtimes- she might even notice right then and there. She also cares greatly for the others not to mention, when she speaks her voice actually sounds empowering. Maybe she should've been a debater instead..._

 ** _Hotaru Amemori Level 2_**

 _Of course- despite her good points, she's still pretty childish. She seems to enjoy playing games- mostly hide n' seek but at the same time, she gets bored quite easily of games like twenty questions. Additionally, she's quite adept at darts but to the point that she can pretty much aim however she likes- wherever she likes. It makes me a bit envious to be honest..._

Climbing into his bed, the boy nestled himself in his covers, head resting on the pillow. He wasn't quite sure why, but he felt like turning in earlier tonight. Perhaps he'd been enjoying himself too much with Hotaru? He wasn't quite sure. Nonetheless, he was soon sound asleep.

* * *

 _Click. Click. Click._

A figure approached the dining hall- finding it to be empty. They looked around briskly before heading into the Kitchen.

 _Click. Click. Click._

Soon enough- the figure left the area completely.

 _ **Ding. Dong Ding.**_

 _ **"Everyone! It's time for bed time! DIG-IDs are set to relay this message every night at 10:30 pm. The Dining Hall and Kitchen will be closed for the night, so make sure you get everything you want from there! I don't really care what you do from there- but be careful~!"**_

* * *

 ** _Next:_**

 _"...Why does it smell like that...?"_

 _"I-I'll go check on them!"_

 _"I'm fine! Don't worry!"_

 _"...Is that...?"_

 _"I don't think I'm hungry anymore..."_

 ** _"Ahhh- It's finally happened! Investigation time!"_**

 _Boom!_

* * *

 _A/N_

 _Oh geez- this one took a lot of energy out of me. I was so excited for writing this- I started it last night before going off to bed. Cause I wanted to play league and play other games ORZ. I honestly didn't think I'd finish this today- but I really **really** want to start on the investigation and eventually the trial. I'm absolutely stoked for this hnnnn. I hope this chapter was pretty good- and it seems people have their suspicions on a victim **and** a culprit. I wonder- just wonder who you think it is. :O I'll put a poll up to see who you think is the victim c: I'm quite curious to be honest._

 _Review Reply-_

 _ZodiacNerd11- Dia's bamboo sword holds the secrets to everything! :O That minute- shall be now. ...On the next chapter :D._

 _OrangeLover10- Oh no! I meant that she gave me the idea to do that. cx (Though I suppose in that way her magical powers can be aligned with this.) Oooh? Is it? :o Or maybe it's a different mask? I lost track. ORZ_ _I MUST MAKE AS MANY SHIPS AS POSSIBLE; accidentally of course. c: Oh my god- there's a Stephen King reference in there? I think that was accident since I don't really know much about his works ;; Aside from the few movies I've seen otl. I don't know if I should say I love that I'm making you fall out of your seat or if I should apologize. I'll go with both._

 _Cupcake Swag Master- Have you been peering into my mind? I'm a bit scared if so ;v; And there really is a lot of K names- good grief. ...I wonder how I don't mix them up. (Without fixing the errors afterwards orz). Omg- thank you grandma :D I will do my bestest! I'm sorrynotsorry ;v; I had to use Dia- he's too much of a loved child. Omg no- CarolinexDia otp. Just kidding. x3 DiaxKitchen is better. Okay I'm stopping now before I punch myself._

 _Chi-Mibuu- A ghost! I bet it's Hitomi's true form. Oh nonono- you don't pressure me at all. ;v; It's more like- encouragement. Otherwise I'd just be a bum and stop writing. Omg Cooking Mama. I love it. Awkward Elephant Shipping- I shall let it sail. ...Then sink it. :D._

 _Dingus With Sweet Shades- Already done :D Kimiko may or may not be haunting you now. Spooky spooky._

 _ShadedLyht- A ghost! No wait- I used that already. Electra Violet Camisole! :O I think the world has just been doomed ;v;. But I'm not sorry. Naoki's too cute to just straight up hate Caroline without a cute misunderstanding or something adorable c: I'll definitely try and add some shorts in- it'll be nice and fun. And a good change of pace._

 _DreadedPrinners- Or what if it's...both? :O I joke- I joke. I wonder who it might be as well. Maybe we already know? Maybe we'll never know? Spooky. Thank you very much senpai ;o; Hnnnn they really are. Evidences I think are the worst. Gotta make sure it makes sense and figure out how to put them and other details upon details. Hyuuu. Senri is perfection when it comes to partnering him with Yuuji- (He can't beat Ken and Kimiko's shut downs ORZ) Though he might have a chance in the future. :O Omg wait- I referenced Dragon Quest? I think I need to just uhm- study these things and figure out where I'm referencing them lol. They would be a pair of gladiators in Caroline's room- aka the arena. And I try my best to be a sadist :D_

 _Cappy- It shall happen... ...Eventually! :,D I got tons of sleep- thank you for the encouragement to sleep. Omg that sounds really weird- ignore that. (I'll update everyday at 2:00 am just to be weird.) ...After this one. Yep- they'll both get their turns to speak with the cast- though some things might prevent them from doing so like this chapter. c: (I was going to have them ft with the three together buuuuut I liked this set up better.) I cried for Dia when I did that- I bet they weren't even that bad... ;v; The sword...will be used for all four- three. :O Maybe- I dunno. I keep forgetting about it- poor thing ;v; Yuuji is totes adorbs- I want to keep him forever w And oooh- a sprite for Yuuji? If you need- I can send you his appearance deets with all the extra details. c: Oh my goodness- I died when I wrote that in. (Mostly because I didn't know the french words so I was like- SPANISH TRANSITION)._ _I feel like Ken might end up carrying a trial someday._ _Someday Kenny boy. ;A;_

 _Sp1r1t- Kimiko's gonna steal all the ladies. Senri's gotta have some bonding time with our cast too- especially if they're gonna fill out these student profiles. .0. I bet, everyone dies. It's like- just a massive sudden wave of them dropping dead except for one person. And I think you might have mindreading or at least- sensing abilities too. :O_

 _SqualinaTralala- Oh my goodness- nooo it's perfectly fine. I totally understand the feeling of so many exams in one week. ;v; It's a toughie. I'm really glad that you enjoyed the two interacting with the students. I find it fun (albeit a bit difficult) to do whenever I get the chance. And I'm glad those were amusing to you c: I think just Dia- (so far at least; it's my headcannon that he's the head chef of the group and takes care of all the duties. OTL) Fangirls are like- scary. I can't come up with analogy right now x3;; Kimiko's too proud to be compared to others. ;; = 3=) Omg Yes- Kagerou Project AU; right now. /shot. Caroline's just crazy in her own wonderful way- which I love. As for the motive- I think it's fair that I answer this. Everyone gets different slander about another person. But it's done in a really specific way._

 _(A present goes to whoever manages to figure out the secret embedded in the first motive. :O Well- there's two secrets but there's one that's super important.)_

 _(DONT GUESS YET- I mean you can . But not everything revealed about this motive has come to light yet.)_

 _Dia- the bamboo wielding serial killer. You know- I was supposed to write Senri giving him this bamboo sword back but I keep forgetting to slide it in. I'm so bad at sticking to my plans OTL. Hnnnn thank you very much for your compliment ;v; I'll try to keep with my pace. Though things might end up being erratic at times- I'll try to ensure the quality remains top-notch. And I'll definitely keep that in mind. In fact- I think I'll just do that, at the end of each chapter (Chapter as in Murder & Trial) I'll post one for the deceased. c:_

 _Okay I tried to answer everyone's Reviews- At least one. ;v; I'm sorry if I didn't get to both of yours- it was hard maneuvering about to try and catch all of them._


	13. Chapter 10: Our Last Dance

_A/N_

 _Fair warning; a majority of this chapter will have frequent POV changes. ;v; I'll make sure to point them out before dialogue actually appears but that might prove to be a bit difficult. ...Or did I say I was going to do this in script writing...? Gah- I don't remember. ;v; Also- here's the results of the poll._

 _Dia - 2 Votes_

 _Ken - 2 Votes_

 _Senri - 1 Vote_

 _Yuuji - 1 Vote_

 _Kiyomi - 1 Vote_

 _Taro - 1 Vote_

 _Izuna - 1 Vote_

 _Seemed like Dia and Ken were the two most likely to be the victim. :O I wonder if that ended up being the case... A-Anyways, I'm holding you guys up. Enjoy the chapter! c:_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 11: Our Last Dance**_

Resting sound asleep in my bed, curled up underneath with my pillow close to my chest. Unconsciously, I snuggled against it, wanting to enjoy more of my dreams but I knew deep inside that it was time. I wasn't looking forward to it- not one bit.

 _I just wanted to sleep..._

 ** _"Gooooooood morning class! This is your super cute overseer with the 8:00 wake-up call! Get up or prepare for a fate worse than death! The entire second album of Summer Kiss on repeat till nighttime!"_**

The shrill voice of that evil hostess rang out in my room, causing me to toss my DIG-ID across the room- but of course, that didn't change anything as she repeated herself. Over and over again. I figured if I had gone to bed earlier, then it wouldn't have bothered me as much.

I was wrong. It pissed me off even more. Oddly enough, it seemed early in my opinion- which was bizarre. Maybe because I went to bed earlier- this is my punishment.

"Can't we just be woken up at 10:00 instead..." I groaned, raking a hand through my messy steel tresses. A loud yawn escaped my lips as I slumped over before dragging my body over to my bathroom. Stripping myself of my garments, I hopped in the shower for a speedy cleaning and a better wake up call. Nothing like heated water to wake you up in the morning.

Once I was finished- pristine as usual -I grabbed my notepad and the DIG-ID that had finally fell silent. Sliding it into my pocket, I strolled out of the room.

 _Maybe today will be a better day than yesterday._

Strangely enough- I felt oddly...peppy...

* * *

 ** _"Gooooooood morning class! This is your super cute overseer with the 8:00 wake-up call! Get up or prepare for a fate worse than death! The entire second album of Summer Kiss on repeat till nighttime!"_**

" _No! I refuse to get up lady!_ " I shouted, pointing at the small device that I had stomped upon numerous times- but it wouldn't shut up. I was starting to think that her voice was coming from somewhere else, Hitomi-san certainly seemed like the tricky type. Eventually, the voice stopped and I thrusted my fist in the air in victory. With that noise gone, I hopped back into bed and tried to go back to sleep.

Emphasis on tried.

"Goddammit!" I hissed hands rubbing my eyes as I rolled left and right in my bed. "How can I go back to sleep if I'm already wide awake?! I hate this so much!" I eventually fell off my bed, crashing into the stack of calligraphy works I had done before going to bed yesterday.

I hate to admit it- but my own talent kind of makes me fall asleep. Don't judge me- I like it and all, but it helps make going to bed _so_ much easier.

 _Anyways_ , since I was already up- I opted to make my way over to my bathroom and freshen up for the day. Not to mention I was looking forward to breakfast again- Dia's cooking was the best. I wonder if the others in Silver Wing got to eat that on a daily basis... It makes me envious...

* * *

I sat, curled up on my bed, staring at the device as Hitomi's wake up call echoed throughout my room. Eventually, it stopped and I hadn't moved an inch from my spot. Ever since that incident the night before- I've been unable to rest my eyes even for a moment.

Not to mention, I think someone was in my room...

I continued to sit there, hardly noticing the stack of movies that had begun to fall right beside me. The clattering noise that followed didn't even startle me, maybe I was losing track of fear.

 _"Kimiko!"_ Came the calling of my name along with heavy knocks, causing me to dive under my bed almost immediately. So much for losing track of fear... Crawling out from the small space, I sauntered over to the door and looked out the peep hole only to find Caroline standing there.

"Yooo-hooo, are you up yet sleepy head?" She called out, waving her hand in front of the tiny window- effectively blocking my sight of her. "Come on! We can't be the last ones to the lobby- being unfashionably late isn't in anymore."

 _...What?_

I'll never understand the magician's thought processes. ...Or the words that escape her lips. "One moment..." I muttered, hopefully loud enough for her to hear. I probably looked horrible- just as bad as I did yesterday -but at least I was still alive. Swiping my little director's cap off my desk, I placed atop my head, making sure that it hid a majority of my messy tresses. Straightening out my clothes, I twisted the knob of my door and flung it open.

And immediately pulled into a hug a moment after.

"Thank goodness- I thought you were going to be in a zombified state today!" The blonde chimed, giving me a back rub that felt rather nice. ...Really soothing... She pulled away a moment later, a bright smile tugging at her lips. "Come on, let's go!" Taking my hand in her's, she darted out of my room but, allowed me a moment to close it before we left the area entirely.

* * *

 _ **Current Location - Lobby**_

As expected- the others had already arrived to the lobby before ourselves. I could tell, from just one look that they all looked pretty exhausted. Did they have trouble falling asleep as well...? I can't be certain but, some of them looked especially grumpy today.

"You know- I like how Hitomi gives us our wake up call, but when we go to the Dining Hall the door is locked," Kiyoshi huffed, arms crossed as he tapped his foot on the floor repeatedly. "I mean seriously, what kind of hostess does that?"

"...The Hitomi kind?" Asane asked, tilting her head to the side. The boy merely facepalmed, dragging his hand down his face. "Maybe she went back to sleep after doing the announcement and forgot all about us? I know I would."

"She's an A.I. What is she going to do with sleep?" Taro muttered, glancing at the acrobat. "Besides, I'm sure she's not programmed to make mistakes like that."

"I kind of have to agree with Taro on that," Ken added in, adjusting his spectacles. "With something as brilliantly crafted with such delectable body parts as those- there's no way she would do something like that. I'm sure her programmer is quite the gifted person... I'm almost envious..." Drooling over a female he can't even get, as usual. I let out a small sigh, already getting irritated by his shenanigans.

However, I couldn't help but notice someone looking around with a worried expression. ...What was her name again...? I recall speaking to her sometime ago... Kiyomi, wasn't it...?

"...Excuse me for a moment..." She spoke up, hastily leaving the room. Halting their conversations, the occupants of the room watched her take her leave in wonderment. We were perplexed by the girl's actions, but we opted to not comment on it for now and resumed our own conversations. I decided to take a seat in an empty chair and try to rest my eyes for a bit.

There was no way I would be attacked in a room filled with people, right?

"Hey guys- what're you guys still doin' here?" The familiar voice of Yuuji called out as I assume he made his entrance. I popped an eye open, watching the scene as the others began explaining how the doors to the Dining Hall were still locked. He looked confused by this as well and began putting his own two cents in, not that I paid attention. A moment later, Kiyomi returned with a slightly more relaxed expression than earlier.

I wonder what her issue was...?

 _BOOM!_

I didn't have much time to ponder that, as a loud explosion rang out from in the building. It was deafening to say the least and I could feel my ears ringing, my vision getting a bit hazy.

"...at the hell?!" Albeit quieter than usual, I could make out Hitaka's voice as he made that exclamation, looking around to see if everyone was alright. Many of them were covering their ears, whereas some had fallen to the floor from the intensity of the noise as well as rumbling that had followed it.

Senri pointed down the dining hall hallway, saying something along the lines of 'over there' as clouds of smoke began pouring out from said hall. Quickly, we scrambled to our feet, save for Izuna who had remained on the ground and Shirotani crouching beside him. Not that it was important- we were focused on the explosion and it's source.

When we arrived to the Dining Hall's doors, they were opened. It was odd, weren't they locked earlier? Nonetheless, we began pooling into the room only to find that it was perfectly fine save for a few sets of silverware knocked out of place. Smoke seemed to be pouring out from the Kitchen and as a result we rushed over to it.

"...Why does it smell like that...?" I found myself asking, noting that it smelled somewhat...weird... For an explosion, at least. It was a burning smell, but, it was different...

Entering the Kitchen, we found it to be covered in scorch marks, most notably around where the entrance to the freezer was. Speaking of the freezer, the door had been blown off it's hinges, sitting in the middle of the room. Screws were laying about, indicating that it had indeed been forced out of place. The smoke seemed to be coming out from the freezer and at this time, it wasn't only me who had taken note of the odd smell.

"...Yuck, what _is_ that...?" Dia spoke, coughing a bit into his hand. "It smells horrid..." It wasn't as though we could provide an answer to that, for me it was quite an unfamiliar scent. Taking a step forward with an arm covering his nose, Taro made his way over to the freezer, pressed against the wall. He stood there for a moment before looking into the doorway.

Then, he vomited.

"He-Hey! Are you okay?!" Asane called out to him, making her way over and offering him a pat on the back as he spat up bile among other things I care not to mention.

"Why are you-" Naoki found herself getting cut off when the boy raised a finger to her, signalling her to stop. However, this didn't stop the others from pressing forward to see what had caused the boy to vomit. From what I could see, they immediately regretted doing so. Emi, had squealed, taking several steps back and tripping over the door to the freezer.

Hitaka moved to cover Kiyomi's eyes as the girl had frozen in her place, jaw agape. Some looked away, while others simply continued to stare with a mix of astonishment and fear.

"What? What is it?" I asked, growing irritated by the second. Shoving my way to the front, my eyes widened at the sight before me. Laying on the ground- just several feet away from the entrance to the freezer was something that seemed to be in the shape of a human body.

A _charred_ human body.

I couldn't tell who it was, or if it was even a person due to how blackened the entire thing appeared. What I assumed to be arms outstretched as though they had fallen over and were struggling to crawl away from something, the head(?) turned off to the side at an odd angle. The cracks along it's burnt form crumbled slightly, falling onto the ground as it simply laid there- completely still.

The faint appearance of hair- though I wasn't quite sure if that was the case... Furthermore, the grotesque smell that had hit me at full power- coming out of nowhere. I could feel my stomach spasm as it tried to force whatever had been left inside out my throat. Hand immediately clasping over my mouth, I stared at the figure in horror.

Then, I noticed _it._ The mask that had been worn by the person who attempted to attack me the night before...

 _ **"Ahh- it's finally happened!"**_ Rang the cheery voice of our hostess, appearing out of thin air with a rather elated grin plastered on her face. She hovered over what was now confirmed to be a body, looking down on it with a psychotic glow in her eyes. _**"I really had my doubts about this motive- but it seems master was absolutely right! Who would've thought?"**_

"..."

We stood there in silence, causing her to look at us with a confused expression. Had she been expecting something out of us? Something _more_ than the deafening silence that carried through the room? It's not as though we knew who this was. Or at least, I thought we didn't know.

"...Is that...?" Kiyomi's voice wavered, pointing at the body. "... _Hotaru_...?"

My breath immediately got caught in my throat the second she asked that, looking at the body once again though I tried my best to keep from vomiting. How did she draw that conclusion- it was impossible for me to tell whether or not it was a boy or a-

 _Huuurggehh._

I couldn't keep it down any longer, whatever my stomach had been holding immediately began rising and flowed out my mouth and onto the floor of the freezer. I could feel someone patting my back as I hunched over- continuing this unpleasant deed in pain.

 ** _"..."_** Hitomi remained silent before the sound of clapping echoed the room, causing me to glance over for just a brief moment. _ **"Right you are miss match maker! This body is none other than the Super High School Level Archer herself- Hotaru Anemori!"**_

Hearing the actual confirmation only made me feel worse as I continued to vomit, finding myself incapable of stopping at this point. It was beginning to feel more and more painful by the moment and by this point, I was simply dry heaving.

"Y-You're joking right...?" Kiyoshi sputtered out, taking a step forward. "Lo-Look at _that!_ There's no way it could be Hotaru- I-I mean... None of us are inhumane enough to actually burn her to death like that!"

 _ **"Sure you are!"**_ Hitomi mused, a chortle following after the statement. _**"I mean- it certainly couldn't have been little ol' me. I mean- I'm just a digital existence with no physical form. So it's not like I could set you guys up. One of you did the poor girl in."**_

"...Even so... Burning her body like that is..." This time it was Naoki's turn to speak, appearing absolutely repulsed by the thought of it. I didn't blame her- even as a movie director, that kind of occurrence in movies was absolutely horrifying.

 _ **"Well- it's not like I care! Besides, you all know what this means! Investigation time!"**_ Snapping her fingers, everyone's DIG-IDs began ringing rather loudly- bringing our attention to them. Retrieving my own device from my pocket, using a wall as a support to keep from falling in my mess, I checked out what was occurring. A new slot had been added- the evidence slot. It was different from the Final Trial evidence, bearing a whole other slot altogether. Tapping it, there was only a single thing inside.

"...What is this...?" Senri spoke up, obviously referring to the thing that had been installed on our devices without our consent.

 _ **"I call it, Hitomi's Novice Medical Guide! You know, like the files the other games had but cooler,"**_ she explained, a bit of pride dripping from her voice. _**"Anyways- it holds information about the victim. Time of death, cause of death, injuries, location it was murdered- all of that snazzy stuff!"**_

"...That's a damn lie." Taro- who I suppose finished coughing up his guts now -interjected. "According to this... Medical guide... it only tells the following information;

 _'The victim is Hotaru Anemori of Asukawa.'_

 _'The body seems to have been burnt to a perfect crisp. The victim appears to have suffered a broken neck as well as multiple stab wounds around their heels and wrists.'_

"There's no bloody time of death or cause of death- or even location..." Well, that was certainly true. Looking at the file for myself- it seemed to only detail the victim as well as any thing that seemed to have occurred to the body. Other than that, nothing.

 ** _"..."_** Hitomi said nothing for a moment before chuckling and then bursting into full out laughter. _**"I never said I was going to always provide that information. It's just what it could hold! Anyways, I think I've kept you guys from investigating long enough. Trial begins...whenever I get bored of watching you guys scramble around like fools. Bye-bye!"**_ With that, she disappeared and leaving us alone with a destroyed corpse.

 _ **Evidence Bullet Added**_

 _Hitomi's Novice Medical Guide!_

 _'The victim is Hotaru Anemori of Asukawa.'_

 _'The body seems to have been burnt to a perfect crisp. The victim appears to have suffered a broken neck as well as multiple stab wounds around their heels and wrists.'_

Even though the signal for us to begin investigating had been given, none of us made a move. It was hard to believe, that someone had actually died. It was understandable- we should've been better than this. We learned about this through our history classes- to keep from making the same mistakes as our ancestors.

But, I suppose this shows how inefficient that truly was.

 _"Dammit!"_ Hissed Senri, bringing his fist to a wall in anger. I didn't know why he was so upset- not that he's heartless, far from it actually. It wasn't as though he and Hotaru had been on speaking terms before this- we hardly even knew much about others from different schools before this. It bothered me, just a bit...

"...I... guess we should start investigating..." Ken muttered, removing his spectacles and wiping them off with his shirt, earning a few glares and surprised looks. "...I'm not trying to sound heartless or anything- but we can't stand here and do nothing."

"...Are you saying we should investigate and send someone else to their death?" Kiyomi cried out, clutching at the ends of the hoodie she wore. "...If we investigate...and figure out who did this- then that's just another person who'll die..."

"...But...the punishment..." Asane's voice reflected how concerned and nervous she was feeling- despite being as aloof as she was, it was clear she could tell that the tension was rising. "...It's not specified what would happen but... it could be a number of things..."

" _Still!_ " The match maker protested, her voice raising an octave. "They'll have a chance to escape and get help for the rest of us and-"

"I don't think our mastermind would be as idiotic as to let us escape without any sort of repercussions," Taro interrupted, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. "...If you're just going to gripe about this, then just go somewhere and let us investigate so we can properly figure this out. Being useless isn't ideal in this-"

"You're so heartless!" The girl cut him off, earning a startled look from him. "...Hotaru was our schoolmate... One of our incoming underclassman... And you're just going to pass this over and begin investigating...? Without even concerning about the fact that someone else will die...? You're the worst!" Spitting out her words, Kiyomi immediately rushed out of the room, the economist holding a hand out as though it would keep her from running.

While the girl's words held some truth, it was inevitable that we would need to investigate. Sitting around doing nothing could lead to undesirable consequences. I trust the words of the economist, after all- we don't know how this mastermind works.

"...Don't pay that any mind. I'll talk to her later..." Hitaka assured, giving the boy a faint smile. "For now, let's just work on investigating this case. Alright...?" No response.

Was it really time for this- investigating...? ...Am I prepared...? Whether I was or not, people began leaving the room to search for evidence whilst only a few remained. I stayed here, along with Senri, Caroline and _him._

Without a doubt, I was certain that this was _his_ doing...

* * *

 _ **Investigation Start!**_

First things first, the mask. Without any disregard for leaving my fingerprints on the object- considering how this wasn't some sort of crime show -I picked it up and began examining it. Without a doubt, this was the mask that he had worn on the day of our awakening.

And it was the mask from when I was attacked. I would never be able to forget the design of this fox mask- not even if I had died.

"Oh- my mask!" As I thought. The mimic himself made his way over behind me, pointing at it. "Where did you find it? I've been looking for it for the longest..."

"...Is that so... Probably because you left it here when you were murdering Hotaru..." I murmured under my breath, moving it out of his reach.

"Eeeeh? Did you say something Mayu-san?" He inquired, sounding confused.

"No, nothing. This mask was found here at the scene... And it's yours... I find that to be quite suspicious, don't you think Yuuji?" I spoke louder, allowing him to hear me this time.

"Wait- what? It was in here?" He sounded legitimately surprised- but of course he would be able to do so. He is known for his abilities to mimic other sounds. Why can't he imitate a surprised voice?

"Yes. I just said that. I never understood why people always ask for clarification like that- it's not like I stuttered." Moving away from him, I stopped when I heard a soft squelching sound only to find that I stepped in my pool of vomit. "...Disgusting..."

I could hear the faint sound of snickering from behind me before Yuuji cleared his throat, following after me.

"Listen- I haven't had that mask in my possession since two days ago. As in, it was not in my possession at all during the day. I lost it sometime after we had went investigating places." He certainly seemed to be telling the truth, but I didn't trust him one bit. However, my device seemed to be thinking differently.

 _ **Evidence Bullet Added!**_

 _Yuuji's Testimony_

 _His fox mask had been missing since two days ago. He apparently hasn't had any clue of it's whereabouts since then. Could it have been stolen? Possibly. Likely? No._

 _ **Evidence Bullet Added!**_

 _Ornate Fox Mask_

 _A mask that was found next to Hotaru's body. It also belonged to Yuuji as well as Kimiko's mysterious attacker from two nights ago._

"...Stupid device..." I mutter, listening to it give a brief description of the evidence... bullets...? "...Why are they even called that- no, I'm getting distracted. Anyways, it seems your testimony has been added as evidence, remember that." Giving him a glare, I took a few steps away from him and the puddle of vomit.

 _Back to this mask though..._

Holding it up closer to my face, I found that it was rather cold. ...No, not from my face but from my fingertips. There was a thin layer of ice around it too... And scorch marks...? ...That is really strange. Turning it around, I found some sort of pink liquid around the mouth covering- on the side that the wearer would have it against their face. ...Was this blood? ...Why was it pink...?

 ** _"Ah! If you're wondering about the pink blood, let's just say there's a special solution in everyone's blood streams that causes it to do that upon exposure instead of turning red!"_** Hitomi's voice echoed from multiple sources in the room- likely an announcement from our DIG-IDs. **_"It makes it such a pretty color- don't you agree?"_**

 _Click._

Well, that explains one thing... But why is there blood on the mask...?

 _ **Evidence Bullet Updated!**_

 _Ornate Fox Mask_

 _The fox mask seems to also have a thin layer of ice on it as well as scorch marks on it. Possibly from the explosion, but it's still cold...?_

 _ **Evidence Bullet Added!**_

 _Pepto-Bismol Blood Around Mouth Covering_

 _There's traces of blood around the mouth on the wearer's side of the fox mask. Oddly enough, it's pink but that's due to some strange substance injected into our bloodstream. ...Disturbing. Why is this here...?_

With the evidence logged, I examined my DIG-ID to inspect the evidence, finding that it had scanned three dimensional images of everything. Even Yuuji's profile along with an audio file of his testimony. These things were actually pretty useful.

 _"Kyaa! You idiot- don't point that damn thing at me!"_

A maiden's voice screamed out, reaching my ears all the way in the freezer. I could tell from the sound that it belonged to Naoki and she certainly sounded a bit panicked. I wasn't particularly up to examining the corpse- not to mention I was already certain of who had committed the murder anyways. Darting out of the room, I left the remaining occupants to their own devices to examine as they pleased.

 _Don't point that damn thing at me...? ...I get the feeling... I might know exactly what this thing is..._

* * *

 _Evidence So Far-_

 _Hitomi's Novice Medical Guide_

 _-_ _'The victim is Hotaru Anemori of Asukawa.'_

 _\- 'The body seems to have been burnt to a perfect crisp. The victim appears to have suffered a broken neck as well as multiple stab wounds around their heels and wrists.'_

 _Yuuji's Testimony_

 _\- '_ _His fox mask had been missing since two days ago. He apparently hasn't had any clue of it's whereabouts since then. Could it have been stolen? Possibly. Likely? No.'_

 _Ornate Fox Mask_

 _\- '_ _A mask that was found next to Hotaru's body. It also belonged to Yuuji as well as Kimiko's mysterious attacker from two nights ago.'_

 _\- '_ _The fox mask seems to also have a thin layer of ice on it as well as scorch marks on it. Possibly from the explosion, but it's still cold...?'_

 _Pepto-Bismol Blood Around Mouth Covering_

 _\- '_ _There's traces of blood around the mouth on the wearer's side of the fox mask. Oddly enough, it's pink but that's due to some strange substance injected into our bloodstream. ...Disturbing. Why is this here...?'_

 _A/N_

 _Okay- first things first, my sincerest apologies to ShadedLyht; it was Hotaru's time unfortunately ;v; Both a fantastic character and one that I enjoyed writing- despite only having one freetime event to write more of her -expect a far more in-depth AU for this beautiful child. And of course, the murderer who is destined to share this fate with her. Though, judging from how adamant Kimiko is about this- it could be Yuuji? Who knows. It's never easy picking out who dies first and it makes it especially harder with all these people who've formed relationships with them both before the killing game and during it. ;x;_

 _As for the actual investigation/appearance of the corpse- my apologies for the lack of detail for the latter and the short investigation, but I'm saving the details for when the corpse gets investigated and more investigations for other people. Like I said- we get to see it through_ _alllll the people with investigative roles' eyes. Which makes things much harder but ah well c:_

 _Review Replies-_

 _SqualinaTralala- I wish I could say the same thing- but I always look forward to the murders. ;v; And the corpses. ;x; I understand your pain- never choose! (Though it's kind of over now so I can't really say that; orz ;;;). I bet his apron was supes fashionable too- cooking with styyyyle. Omg- I would've stood there. Then fall as I try to get into my room then die because I have horrible reflexes otl. Rip. I loved writing Hotaru's freetime- I just imagined her as an adorable younger sibling who'd want to play all these games with you and just make you go d'aww... And then she's all kyuuun- with her cheering up and ;A;. As for those other questions- my lips are sealed tight with super glue. .x. I believe when he was a child there was this gigantic fruit monster on this children's show- and it just scared the poop out of him. Never eating fruits again. I hope I fulfilled my Saiyntly Sadist duties c:_

 _Sp1r1t- OMFG I FEEL LIKE I'VE HEARD THIS SOMEWHERE BUT AT THE SAME IT'S LIKE- BLAAAAANK. IT IS BOTHERING ME SO MUCH. WAS IT FROM AN ANIME/MANGA OR A T.V. SHOW? Gosh dernit- I'm crying cause I can't figure it out. (/)o(\\) Well not really, just living in despair a little. Omg- SHSL Esper over here. (I think it's right, spellcheck just doesn't have a broad enough vocabulary = 3=) I bet it happens in the trial and Emi goes- "Chere-sama! I mean- Kimiko-sama!" /shot/ Kiyomi... Kiyomi kiyomi kiyomi. Such a suspicious child we have. c: Who knows?_

 _Cupcake Swag Master- Omg, that sounds really cute. ;v; And the kitchen just sobs (the sink faucet turns on and it doesn't stop running) Hitaka no- please don't turn into Yuno. (I tried to be like Yuno and say Kiyomi multiple times but there's too many syllables ;;;;) Can I bring you when I get on one of those game shows where I can win money by guessing things cause I really known absolutely nothing orz._

 _ShadedLyht- Shirotani's gonna be making a cameo for these chapters onward. Well, for the investigations at least. Gotta check out them bodies and gather info for the peasants- I mean, other students. ;; I think you might as well- I'm not sure, but we could be thinking the same person. ;v; And what does Senri know- he's just a journalist. I joke I joke- I love Senny boy. c: Platonically. And omfg- thank you so much! Shall we celebrate? I think we should. I think I'll whip up a little something something for the occasion. (*never does because I forget*) But no really- I shall write something nice and pretty. Also- I'm terribly sorry about Hotaru ;v; She was loved- truly and will still be loved._

 _Dreaded Prinny- Typoooos- typos everywhere! (*gives everyone typos cause I'm Oprah now*) OOOOOO I see- an accidental reference. I still dig it c: Tbh- I think the only man Hitaka wouldn't do that to is Dia (Sorry Dia ;v; Don't cut me with your fabric scissors) He's gotta protect the lady he no longer has from others- even though he can't protect from himself. How romantic. ;v; Kiyomi has the third eye- she has future vision! :O So perhaps. Perhaps she did. Shirotani- I just kind of went with that since I wasn't really sure and I was like- "AWW IT'D BE CUTE IF IT WENT LIKE THIS HURR DURR" cause I'm really weird sometimes ;; And Taro- it's fruits. ;v; How can you not like fruits you little guy. Eat the damn bananas :C I dunno if this was very gruesome. ...;;; Thank you very much- I'm a Saiyntly Sadist :D_

 _Cappy- I broke my promise- it's not 2 am ;v; Ooooo I see I see- you go creator! You're so cool. You know who you are c: Kimiko is as alive as... ... a newborn baby :D (*stabbed in the eyes by Hitaka*) That's perfectly fine c: I am- undescribably :O Senri did it because- c: It's his unrequited love! ;A; Or just a really intense Senpai-Kouhai relationship. .v. Maybe the first one. To be honest- it's hard writing Shirotani in a free time. He's like a platypus, he doesn't do much. Except leave every five minutes to do some serious business. Though I'll try and practice writing him whenever I have some spare time for the future. Omg- now I'm curious to see him like that hnnng ;v; Taro will always protect you Dia. ...Until people start giving him looks then you're on your own otl. I think it was more so an unexpected thing- and a slight error on my part (Taro's creator, forgive me). Perhaps an AU in which Hotaru didn't die should be written up? :o I think that would be pretty amazing qq. Ah yes- I believe credit should be sent to AFoFD for that- I especailly liked how they did it._

 _(OMG guys, if you still haven't I recommend checking it out. Also, submit to Dawn Rider if you have an OC to spare. Yes, I am shamelessly advertising because I sold my soul. ;v; But no really- I recommend these alot. I would recommend another but it's already filled up ;v;)_

 _Chi-Mibuu- Kimiko's the number one on everyone's hunting list. Get the director- get 'er! *roars* But no- when the usually bossy and controlling lady isn't in her usual mood, that's how you know something is up. ;v; Senri and Dia with their fourteen lovable children. I just realized that the motive hasn't been thoroughly explained in the fic yet, so it was silly to suggest guessing the secrets so soon. ;v; Next chapter will reveal more about it- hopefully._

 _Well- that's it for this chapter. Golly, it was surprisingly short compared to the other ones. Ah well- leave your thoughts, comments and criticisms below! ...In a review? Or in a PM. Either is fine- I really enjoy reading everyone's feedback! :3 Also, I realized I lied somewhat about the frequent POV changes hehehe. Orz._


	14. Chapter 11: The Tarnished Flame

_A/N_

 _...I don't really have too much to say besides SqualinaTralala just recently made a sprite edit for Hotaru Amemori! c: Go ahead and check it out- there's a link on my profile. As usual- enjoy the chapter. Feel free to leave any criticisms, high points and any other things you might want to just say in a review or a PM. c: I value your opinions!_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 11: The Tarnished Flame_**

 _"Guess what I brought!" A voice sang out, hands covering my eyes and placing me in a temporary darkness. A smile made it's way upon my lips as I knew all to well the owner of that voice along with the delight of some sort of surprise. Reaching up, I gently pulled at the hands that were gently cradling my face- though in a odd position to do so -yet they didn't budge. Stubborn as usual. "Nnnnope- no peeking. Guess first!"_

 _"Boo... You're no fun..." I huffed, a small pout taking the place of my smile._

 _"Me? Says the person who tried to ruin the game!" His hands fell from my face, giving me vision of my room once again. "I brought some cookies- you know, from that bakery you really like."_

 _Immediately, my hands clapped together and I whirled around to face my knight bringing my favorite delicacies. I was certain joy had been painted on my face; I mean, why wouldn't there be if I was receiving something I absolutely adored? Should I be crying instead? Nonsense!_

 _"The macadamia nut peanut butter cookies with lemon icing?!" Somewhere midway of my outburst he had joined in, a knowing grin tugging at his own mouth. Elated, I pulled him in for a hug with all my strength- which wasn't much to begin with honestly._

 _"Well, shall we dine on our desserts for the evening, princess?" With a bow as though he were some sort of bow, he gestered to the bag filled with the treats placed on my desk._

 _A small giggle escaping my lips, I let a far more subtle smile occupy my mouth. "Let's."_

 ** _"Error! Error! Discrepancy in memory banks! Proceed to terminate the file?"_**

"...No, it's perfectly fine. Leave it." Hitomi murmured, clacking away at a digital keyboard and sending away the query. "It's not as though something as bothersome as that would deter me from the current objective." The holographic girl let out a sigh- bearing a mix of grief and irritation -before resting her head upon her floating arms.

"I guess, not even the so-called perfect technology of today is absolutely perfect. Master doesn't need to know about this- let's keep it a small secret from them..." Returning to her same mischief spirits, the girl resumed her rapid typing upon her keyboard, the sound echoing in the oddly dim room. It was odd due to the mass amounts of technology positioned here and there along with the glow from the hologram herself.

"...But it's really a surprise... I never would've expected such a...risky motive to actually bear fruit. If it were me, I would've went all out and sent their secrets to each other and made sure that they knew who held their secret. ...Only to find out it was all a ruuuuse!" A loud laugh erupted from the hostess, finding amusement at her own form of treachery.

Though- it's to be expected after all...

* * *

"...Well, she certainly put on quite a show..." Caroline muttered, peering out from behind me. Which I wondered- why exactly was she even behind me in the first place? ...Was she actually a bit frightened by the corpse? ...Or maybe she was frightened by our dearest Kimiko- which is perfectly legit considering I've never seen her so...aggressive. She's aggressive almost every hour of the day, I'll give her that much, but this time it was to a whole other level.

"Try not to dwell on it too much Yuuji," I spoke, though I'm sure my words gave little to no assurance. I, unlike the director, firmly believed that he was innocent. I mean- I had _helped_ him search for his missing mask. Plus, I'm certain that this guy is no idiot. He'd know exactly what would happen if he left any evidence that would point to him around- either we'd think he was pulling some reverse psychology act or he was just that idiotic.

Spending a short, but quality amount of time with him, I've learned there's more to him than appears.

"Haha... Thanks Senri- but I believe she has her rights to doubt me." A heavy sigh escaped the mimic's lips as he trudged past me, patting my shoulder. "...I think, I'm gonna go investigate elsewhere for a bit. And I might as well send Shirotani-san here as well. He's good with these kinds of things, isn't he?" With not much of a farewell in return, he took his leave thus leaving myself, Caroline and Taro to our own devices.

"...Everyone's got a few screws loose here..." Said economist muttered, crouching beside the corpse and poking it gently with his foot. No- poking _Hotaru_ with his foot. Wasn't he in the same school as her...? "Though, I don't blame them..."

I opened my mouth to say something but he interjected- pointing at the walls of the freezer.

"Journalist, Magician- don't these marks look a bit bizarre to you?" The sudden inquiry caught me off-guard and I sort of just stared at him blankly for a moment until he clicked his tongue. " _Look._ Stop staring at my face, there's no scorch marks there."

"Ri-Right." Stupid stutter, I scolded myself internally before adjusting my position to get a better look at the wall he was referring to. Or rather, the entire wall around the entrance of the freezer- though it was hard considering our magician friend was clinging to me like a child.

"...What exactly am I supposed to be looking at here...?" I asked, lost as hell. The scorch marks looked like, well, scorch marks. They were kind of spiky- kind of like those really pop out bubbles that you see in mangas or cartoons whenever someone's pissed. Furthermore, they covered the floor as well as well as the surrounding portion of the missing door's frame. It looked perfectly fine from my perspective- like an explosion had gone off.

"..." Taro looked at me with a disappointed look which only managed to confuse me further. What did I do? Or would it be, what didn't I do? "Don't you remember the other spot that had scorch marks you fool?"

 _Other place...?_

"The kitchen, right?" Caroline piped up- almost forgot she was here for a moment. She's not being her usual self so it was kind of weird to be honest. "There's scorch marks there as well... Is there something wrong about that...?" It seemed her question only brought the male to be even more irritated with us. Well, excuse us princess but they're just scorch marks.

" _Yes!_ " Making his way into the kitchen, he gestured to the scorch marks around the room which seemed to be stretching out from the freezer. Wait- stretching out? ...From the freezer...?

...

Nope- nothing.

"...Ohhhhh- I get it now!" Caroline mused- sounding a bit enthusiastic. At least she's getting her pep back but y'know, I'm starting to get irritated myself. How can I not see what they see- it's my job to get the scoop and-and. Oh forget it. "The door- it shouldn't be where it is!" Our blonde friend pointed at the charred black door, a smile tugging at her lips.

"If the explosion managed to reach out to the kitchen as well in such a form, then it wouldn't have been able to send the door over here. See?" She stood right on top of the discarded metal blockade, pointing at me. It was almost a perfect line right through the entrance.

Ohhh... I get it now.

"Ah! I see what you guys mean. If the door was closed, then the scorch marks wouldn't be present. But if the door was _open_ then the scorch marks belong there but the door does not. Meaning- the door had to have either been removed prior to the explosion and placed there to make it seem like it had been blown of it's hinges!"

"About time- sheesh. I really wonder if we're gonna make it through this trial..." Sighing, Taro massaged his forehead as though he had been straining it while trying to get us to piece things together. "But anyways, I think the door was burned in order to make us believe that the explosion had caused this."

I see... It certainly makes sense... But, why? Why do such an elaborate and pointless thing? No, I shouldn't assume it's pointless. It may have some importance.

 _ **Evidence Bullet Added!**_

 _Scorch Marks_

 _There are scorch marks on the wall and floor in the freezer that also seem to connect to the scorch marks in the kitchen- which are also by the freezer entrance. Judging from the way they're formed together, the door seems to be misplaced..._

 ** _Evidence Bullet Added!_**

 _Freezer Door_

 _Placed in the kitchen to make it seem as though the explosion had knocked it out of place. It's also completely charred on one side- indicating the culprit most likely burned it to further show that the explosion had an effect on it._

"...Hmmm..." Taro crouched down next to the door, inspected it a bit more for some reason before standing. "...I think I'm finished here. If you'll excuse me. I'll be back when Shirotani finishes his business." Like Yuuji, he left without even waiting for a farewell. Caroline and I stood there, watching him as he left in silence. Only for it to continue awkwardly.

"...I suppose we should wait for Shirotani then..." I suggested to which she nodded- allowing it to fall silent once again.

* * *

 _ **Current Location - Lobby**_

"Drop that weapon!" That woman declared loudly, drawing my attention from the writer who stood before me. I stared at her blankly, tilting my head to the side slightly before taking a moment to adjust my lab coat. Ah, right. She screamed to not point this thing at her... I wonder why she's so scared- it's obviously a model gun...

...Is she incapable of telling the difference...? And the director as well? How should I response? With a joke? Or should I obediently follow what she says? I don't really want to...

"...Why?" Came the question out my mouth, attempting to sound perplexed by her demand. Adjusting my grip on the so-called weapon, I pointed it her instead. "It's not going to bring anyone harm, it's just a model gun so it can't exactly harm you... Also- did you all discover what was at the source of the explosion...?"

"That's not the point! It's crucial evidence!" Kimiko shouted, stomping her foot as she did so. How brash. She even ignored my query- I even attempted to sound polite... But I believe something has occurred to one of our fellow captives.

"Evidence you say? I take it that means someone has passed then?"

" _Yes!_ Now, fork over the gun before I have to use drastic measures Valiance fool!" True to her words, she began cracking her knuckles as she began approaching. Sighing heavily, my device automatically began scanning the object I had discovered before I tossed it to her.

"...I've already uncovered what I required from it. Though, it makes me wonder. Why do you believe it is crucial evidence?"

"None of your damn business! ...I had actually found it on the day we were exploring. To be more precise, Hotaru did. I confiscated it shortly after..." I arched my brow curiously at this. How interesting. I shall also make note of that as well- I hope the device registered that as a testimony as well.

 _ **Evidence Bullet Added!**_

 _Model Gun_

 _..._

 _ **Evidence Bullet Added!**_

 _Kimiko's Testimony_

 _Apparently the director had confiscated the gun sometime after Hotaru had found it whilst they were exploring. I wonder why she would keep something like that. Or rather, why it wasn't in her possession any longer._

"...? Why is it cold...?" She asked, holding it in her hands as she moved it about. She immediately shot a glance at me, to which I simply shrugged after a moment of thought.

"...I can only assume it was in a cold place for an extended period of time. There's a layer of frost on it, so the trigger can't exactly be pulled as easily as it should. Not that it matters considering it's a model gun. Which I might note as odd, considering I had found it in one of the drawers whilst searching for some medical supplies in the lobby."

 _ **Evidence Bullet Updated!**_

 _Model Gun_

 _Discovered in a drawer in the lobby. It had originally been in Kimiko's possession but it turned up here...? Oddly enough, there's a layer of ice on it and the trigger is stuck so it can't be pulled without a bit of force._

"...Wouldn't you have medical supplies in your room...?" The writer- Naoki I believe her name was -asked, turning her attention on me. It was still quite evident that she was sour with me due to my...experiment with the model. I don't blame her for such, I suppose.

"...It would be too much of a hassle to go all the way there and back... Please let me know when my patient awakens, I believe I shall go inspect the crime scene and offer my services. Good day." Gesturing to Izuna who had yet to awaken- which I found extremely strange -I took my leave whilst donning my labcoat. I hadn't expected that I would be engaging in field work so soon. It's a shame that I don't have my supplies with me aside from that bin in my room.

Though, a first aid kit isn't exactly going to help me with investigating a corpse. ...Do I seem like a nurse...?

* * *

 _ **Current Location - Kitchen**_

Making my entrance into the Kitchen area, I quickly became aware of the smell of flesh. The smell of _burnt_ flesh- badly I might note. Though, the smell didn't bother me as much as it would the others. I'd say it's a bit of a tie with rotten corpse smell to be frank. Tugging my leather gloves, I took note of the pair who seemed to be standing next to the freezer's entrance in what people would call, an awkward position I believe.

When they noticed I had arrived, they immediately turned to me and gave me their greetings to which I replied with a curt nod. Without more to say to either of them, I entered the freezer where I presumed the corpse had been located.

And I was correct.

Judging from the smell, I had expected a burned corpse. But, to this extent was certainly a surprise. Crouching beside it, I took in the form of it. Indeed it had been intensely burnt, the skin is seems as black as the charcoal that would fuel such an intense blaze. Parts of the body had chunks of flesh missing, though it would be hard to tell to the untrained eye especially with a dimly lit room as this. I conclude that this had been the cause of the explosion from earlier.

There also seems to be some dried blood on the floor around entrance of the freezer, just a few feet away from the body. I see... Tenderly, I lifted my hand to inspect the corpse closely, finding that the skin seemed to crumble at the slightest touch. It appears the culprit definitely had the intention of burning this girl to a crisp.

I can only wonder why...

"...Shirotani-san?" A voice called out to me- though I paid it no mind, focused on the task at hand. " _Shirotani-san._ " They spoke once again, a bit more force in their voice and attracting my attention.

"...Hmm? My apologies, I couldn't quite catch that. Did you say something?" I asked, sounding a bit a distracted- which I was.

"...Perhaps it would be easier to perform your examination while using the Medical File...?" ...Senri, I believe he was, suggested to me whilst holding his DIG-ID. Arching a brow, I retrieved my own device, finding that there was indeed such a thing under the evidence list.

"...I see... Such injuries are present...?" Placing it off to the side, I began moving the corpse's neck- though it proved to be quite difficult thanks to the temperature of the freezer along with it being burnt to a crisp. Though, with some careful tampering, I was certain that the neck had been broken. Whilst I did this, I also noticed there was a noticeable dent in their cranium area, along with patches of hair and a few strands that seemed to remain. I see. I see.

Moving to turn the corpse over, which made various crunching sounds, I immediately stopped once I had done so. Standing up, I retreated from the cold room and made my way to the water basin where I began washing my hands, scrubbing them relentlessly. I could feel a pair of eyes gazing upon me intently, but seeing as how they made no move to say a thing, I chose to remain silent. Once I had efficiently cleansed my hands along with my gloves, I made my return to the body and resumed my inspection.

The face of the poor human had it's skin beginning to fall off- an after effected of the burning. Their jaw seemed to be stuck in a permanent slack position, giving a full view of their burnt mouth along with the soot from what I presume was their teeth inside. Their tongue seemed to be missing as well- likely from burning. I highly doubt one of our fellow captives would cut out another's tongue.

Well, I assume they had no reason to this time at least.

There seemed to be nothing wrong with the corpse- missing eyes as expected and their jawlines peeking out through the crumbling skin. Also, the file seemed to mention something about wounds on their wrists and ankles but... I cannot seem to discern whether or not that is true. ...No, I see them now. The tissue where the injuries had taken place and been burnt ended a slightly different coloration than the rest of the body. _Very_ slight. But nothing should be able to elude my eyes.

However, this only makes things far more difficult. I cannot tell if they were made postmortem or not or if they are the true cause of death. It's plausible they had been injured and burned immediately after which lead to this but... I cannot be sure.

"...Finished." I muttered, pulling out my DIG-ID and recording my findings. Immediately after doing so, a notification appeared on my device.

 _ **Evidence Bullet Added!**_

 _Shirotani's Autopsy Report_

 _The corpse seems to have sustained it's ankle and wrist injuries prior to being burned- which makes sense. It's undetermined whether or not they are the cause of death as well as if they were created postmortem. The neck injury is certainly there as well and the victim seems to have suffered a blow to the head as well. Furthermore, the victim's body is substantially cold with slight warmth in various places- likely from the explosion. As such, a proper time of death cannot be accurately determined._

"Really...? Did you discover anything?" The magician girl that the writer seems dislike asked, curiosity evident in her voice. I simply nodded my head before holding up my device.

"...Everything is recorded in my Autopsy Report. Everyone should have a copy in their Evidence Files. I believe I've done my job. If you'll excuse me." Standing up, I began washing my hands fervently along with the gloves- _again_. I had another patient to see to, I would prefer to have clean hands when I made my return.

* * *

Letting out a heavy sigh, I trudged my way down the Residency Hall where I noticed Hitaka-senpai talking to a door. Arching a brow, I made my way over to him and found myself quickly being noticed.

"...Hey Kiyoshi..." If he didn't sound down, I wouldn't know what would. Not to mention his voice was hoarse- whoever he was trying to speak to certainly had no intention of giving him any sort of break anytime soon. Knowing my thickheaded senior, it was quite clear whom he was speaking to- though I couldn't help but wonder if that was a futile effort...

"...Are you badgering Kiyomi-senpai?" I inquired, tilting my head off to the side. The brief surprise that flashed in his expression certainly let me know I was right on the mark. I was tempted to smirk at that- _tempted_. From what I've heard they had a sort of rocky relationship. Don't really know the details but, it's obviously not good.

Especially with her ignoring him like this. Though I don't blame her. I tuned out his stammering, turning my gaze to the ground.

 _"Kiyoshi!" Rang out that jovial voice before I was suddenly confronted with a weight on my back- nearly crushing me and the luncbox I held in my lap. Wincing from the slight pain of the hug that immediately followed the sudden impact, I managed to muster out my own greeting to the individual._

 _"Good day Amemori-san. What brings you to my classroom today?" Although I asked that, her appearing here was anything but out of the ordinary. The girl had an abundance of friends and acquaintances both among freshmen and upperclassmen. Not to mention students from other schools as well despite the four-way rivalry that had been going on since... ...however long these schools were established._

 _Kind, caring and energetic- this darts throwing girl was certain to bring any sort of happiness wherever she waltzed._

 _"I wanted to know if you wanted to each together!" She chimed, taking a few steps back and holding out a bag full of bread- likely from the school's cafeteria. ...Which was odd considering I was certain that they had sold far more exquisite meals than this. "I went out to a convenience store to get a whole bagful. Emi said that bread like this is a must for any school setting and since the cafeteria didn't sell any, I bought some!"_

 _Emi...? ...I didn't know anyone by that name- perhaps someone from a higher grade or a different school? No matter, I was more concerned over why someone would suggest bread as a must have for a school setting. ...And what does that mean- is this an anime or something?_

 _"Is that so...? Well, I made a bento for today, but I'd be glad to eat with you today." Reflecting large smile on her face with my own, I set the small box contained with my lunch for the day on my desk as she sat at the one just before my own._

 _"Oooooh? Kiyo- you can cook?" The nickname didn't surprise me- she had a habit of using such names with people she was familiar with. ...No, even people she wasn't acquainted with. "I never knew that- I would've asked you to make me one too."_

 _"Haha. Unfortunately, I only had enough ingredients for one bento so..." I mused, removing the lid only to have one of my carefully crafted omelettes swiped out of the box by the archer. "He-Hey!"_

 _"Mmmm! Definitely better than Yomi-senpai's cooking!" She hummed, reaching for another but I quickly slapped her hand away. "Oww... Don't be so stingy- I'll share my bread with you!"_

 _"No thank you, I'm content with my homemade meal." Sticking my nose up as I held it away from her, I tried to begin scarfing the contents down as quickly as I could- though rice and other food items fell on my clothes as I did so. "And I think it's really insulting to Kiyomi-senpai. Sure she's not an amazing cook, but she tries her absolute best. Even if she's just a year older than us, you should still show your respect to her as an upperclassman."_

 _"Yeeees dad." She droned, feigning annoyance with me as she began scarfing down her own food. It sure was interesting how normal a super high school level could be- then again -I'm one as well._

 _"Hey- Kiyoshi."_

 _"Hmm...?"_

 _"Kiyooooshi?"_

 _"...What?" I asked, continuing to eat my food._

 _"Kiyoshi!"_

I was brought back out my memory, noticing Hitaka had been waving his hand in front of me for quite sometime. A concerned look was plastered on his face and backed up with the same emotion in his eyes.

"You okay there bud?" He asked, crossing his arms when he realized he finally captured my attention.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry. I kind of uh... ...Dazed off..." Even upon my own ears, I realized that my voice sounded far more duller than it usually sounds. It was certain that Hotaru's death had an impact on me- though why it wouldn't is beyond me. Despite only knowing her for the past two months, I had formed a solid bond with the girl.

Lunch eating buddies with a girl who'd try to swipe my food.

"Woah, _woah!_ You are not okay!" The fighter suddenly boomed, backing away a bit. I looked at him, a bit confused by his declaration before noticing the feeling of something warm, yet liquid, dripping down my cheeks. It only took me a moment to realize that these were tears- otherwise I would've assumed it was blood. Hastily, I tried wiping them away, but they just kept on pouring.

"...Sorry- I'm fine, it's ju-just..." I stammered out, desperately trying not to lose my voice.

I didn't need to say anymore before a comforting hand was placed on my head, ruffling my hair a bit. "It's fine, I understand. I was friends with her as well, so I get how tough it is on you kid." Oddly enough, his solemn words were somewhat warm. Although it didn't do much to cheer me up- I suppose it helped to understand there was someone else who understood. ...Or rather, multiple people who did.

Yuuji, Kiyomi, Izuna- even Taro were probably upset about this. ...That's probably why Kiyomi locked herself in her room. I don't blame her, I'd want to as well... But we have a trial soon and I want to help out anyway I can. Not to just solve this case, but for the sake of Hotaru.

A good friend and fellow member of Asukawa.

Hitaka and I stood there for a good five minutes, me trying to compose myself and ultimately failing while he just kind of hung back and kept watch for anyone. I'd be sure to thank him for that later- I don't think thanking him now would do much, at least not as much as I'd like it to. Hands covering my probably red and poofy eyes, I turned my head when he suddenly called out to me.

"Kiyoshi, come here for a second." As per the command, I tried walking over to where he was with my eyes covered but wound up bumping into walls and door handles as I did so. "Uncover your eyes, fool." I did so, flushing a bit over such a thing before gazing upon what he was staring intently at.

"...? Do you see something...?" I moved a bit closer, trying to focus my blurry vision on the area of the wall at the end of the Residency Hall before it turned towards the Manager Lounge. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that there was a dent in the wood. Or maybe it'd be better to call it a hole? There were bits of chips around it along with a few cracks showing whatever caused it, hit pretty hard.

"You notice it, right?" He muttered, eyes focused hard on it.

"...Yeah..." Our devices began beeping, spouting out words about some kind of bullet or something, but I didn't pay it any mind. I just, couldn't tear my eyes away from this suspicious hole...

 _ **Evidence Bullet Added!**_

 _Suspicious Hole_

 _A hole in at the end of the Residency Hall that has a few cracks and chips around it. Whatever had caused it, seemed to have come in heavy impact with the wall. Though, it could be from old age- right? ...Right?_

* * *

 _ **Current Location - Entertainment Room**_

"...This motive... It was really weird, wasn't it...?" Emi stated, legs curled up against her body as she sat in the chair, glancing over to the girl who seemed to be focused intently on the DIG-ID in her hand. Simply nodding in response, far too enthralled in whatever was happening with her device- which seemed to be updates in the evidence list.

"...Say, Asane... What was your motive...?" The video game maker inquired, leaning on the girl's shoulder. She felt she should have been a bit more...tentative with asking such a question- it could very well be possible that she had been the one who killed Hotaru. In fact, that was the highest possibility on her mind right now. One of her schoolmates over anyone else being the killer of this case- something she also feared.

Though, it was understandable, was it not? After all, in order to evade an unsightly punishment, they would need to condemn the perpetrator to their death. And...surely it would only make her feel worse if it was one of her closest friends.

"...Mine was about that Journalist- from Silver Wing," the girl answered, opening her message and reading it aloud. " _'Senri Maekawa- a journalist who aspires to be as great at the news biz as his parents. But y'know- I'm kind of wondering how far he would go in order to acclaim such heights. Perhaps, escape and use the story of this apartment to acclaim vast amounts of fame? Who knows- but should you really take a risk like that...?'_ Though, it was kind of futile. I know he's not that type of person..."

This certainly caught the other girl off-guard, causing her to lean even more with a bit of enthusiasm. "Really really? And _what_ makes you say that Asanecchi? Oooh- was a flag captured without my noticing?"

The acrobat simply shrugged her shoulders, passing it off. "A gut feeling I think." This didn't seem to appease the girl, causing her to pout and pull at the girl's cheek. "He-Hey! Stooop it!"

"Come on- you can tell me! I'm your senior!" She mused, continuing to pull despite the girl's complaints. Despite the avid teasing, Emi couldn't help the concern and fear that was dwelling in the back of her mind regarding her own motive.

 _'Hotaru Amemori- such a sweet and blissful girl. I'm not usually one to gossip or anything- but it's usually those kinds of people who have a few screws loose. Who knows- she might end up knocking a few screws out of you! Or better yet- one of your colleagues. Huehuehue...'_

* * *

 _A/N_

 _And that's that! More light has been shed on this case along with a bit more description of the motive. So I think it's safe to say that our poor Couturier isn't the prime target for this matter. Scandalous gossip can definitely turn even the most valuable friendships into a heated hatred in a matter of moments. Or even turn the most unlikely allies into comrades. And at other times- it just goes in one ear and out the other without the listener paying any mind to such words._

 _Do you trust the words of another about someone else? Or do you instead doubt them- opting to place that trust in your friend?_

 _(\\(^0^)/) Enough about that for a moment- it's nice to have a few little moments in there- especially with the whole corpse thing. You know- I never realized how much harder it is to describe a corpse like in a story than when you're plotting out the actual murder. With the murder plotting it's all like- "Mmm, cuts here and here. Gooey blood stuffs here. Bang- forehead looks like this." and all the gory details in between._

 _Just a small note- I will be starting work soon (I just had orientation OTL) so updates might be even slower. (Though you guys know I'm lying and I'll be writing right after I return home with a nice mug of coffee by my computer.)_

 _I noticed I haven't done this for a few chapters- and I'm scolding myself for not doing so; but thank you so much for taking the time to review. ;n; I don't think I can use enough words and complete sentences to explain how thankful I am that you guys continue to take the time to do something like this- even though you guys are busy busy and have things to do right after you finish reading the update. To be honest- you guys are what help make me keep writing this story. Otherwise I'd just be like- "walp, time to go write drabbles in my freetime- this thing isn't well received" cause y'know, people's opinions are valued greatly and all. ;; So- once again, I sincerely thank you all from the bottom of my heart. (Which is also a black hole, because I have an endless amount of thanks. :,D /stabbed) I also want to thank the mystery readers and people who pop in- you guys know who you are c: It's nice to see people who aren't actually in the story, take an interest in it. It means a lot to me as well. So just a big huge thank you very much- I love you all. Platonically of course- cause I'm not a creeperface. ;A; ...At least I try not to be orz._

 _Review Replies-_

 _Sp1r1t- ...How... How could you...! ;v; Omg no- I joke. Please don't sob. I-I'll bake cookies! I'm still supes curious so I'll be googling that and digging around with my nosy nosy self. c: Oh my gods- please don't look into the future. ;A; Now I'm gonna have to make the culprit survive. ...Or am I? I don't really know yet- but I should figure it out soon. Next chapter marks the start of the trial. c: And the end of Investigation of course. It took me a moment to realize what weapon you were talking about- I was scrolling through the chapter like- "Whaaaaa?" But it looks like it ended up being the gun. I wonder if they threw the gun at her? That's pretty intense. Too spooky for me. Thank you very much- I shall keep on writing! :D Until despair takes over, then I shall sob and write._

 _SqualinaTralala- Definitely. Though, I kind of wonder if I should've started a bit smaller for the murder. ...Though I can suppose the next few will be just as twisting and intense than this one. ...Hopefully? ;; They really wanted to make sure she was dead and welp- this is the result orz. Well- I can't exactly answer that for sure. I was originally going to type a spoilery extension to that but- I cut it out. Forive meeeee. I think that hypothesis could be quite correct. Possibly~ And yes! Oh my goodness I saw it and she's absolutely adorable! I hope you don't mind but I linked it in my profile. owo;; If only could let us have like a playlist run when you reach a certain part of a fic- but I suppose we'd make do with what we have. (I still love you FF 333) As for Yuuji's evidence incrimination- I'd say he's preeetty smart (Senri agrees with me :D "No I don't. I change my mind." ;v; So cruel.) Also- no one is ever designated innocent so long as I'm writing! :O It could even be Hitomi for all we know! Just kidding- the hostess can't kill unless she manages to get someone stand inbetween doors and just force them to close with her hacking skills. Hohohoho. But yes- it would not be wise to assume those who have such a role are innocent; no matter how innocent they seemed to be portrayed during their limelight. As for the protagonist thing- I personally really hold no regard whether or not the protagonist lives or not. But that's just me- since I watch the horror movies when all the characters die c: Omg- that was a mistake I made a long time ago. I was supposed to write her in Silver Wing- but my subconscious took control and put her in Asukawa and then I was supposed to change it- but I never got around to it. qq I'm so shameless, please forgive me. Thank you very much for your compliment- I hope this chapter was to your liking as well. .w._

 _Dreaded Prinny- I tryyyy my bessst! And it's because Hotaru was a- *garbled garbled garbled* Oooh- suspects already? My curiosity is already piqued hoho~ c: Ah- sorry about that. ;v; I only realized later that people wouldn't recognize who was who with just that. My apologies. Ah yes- I figured there should be a nice little reason behind pink blood. (Mostly because I was thinking about the Abridged series- "It has always been pink, just like the humble strawberry." Ahhh I loved that ;v;) Thank you very much and I hope I didn't disappoint!_

 _Adzan- Oh my goodness- no it's fiiiiine. Don't you worry yourself ragged ;v; I'm sure you have life-ly things to do and your own fic so I totally understand ;v;. Yes- the death of our comrade. ;A; May she rest in peace- though I don't think she will until the perp has suffered their destined fate. Oh my goodness- that's a scary coincidence. ;o; And shhhhh- no spoilers please. I can't have them know these things before they get revealed. ;x; Thank you so much for that- I bet they did. Keeps them extra healthy! :D ...Or far more susceptible to going crazy and killing someone in maniacal ways. ...I never want pepto-bismol again... qq It never is! ...Until it ends up being them and you're like- "Hell yeah- I'm a psychic!" Ahhh that's good- ;v; I wouldn't have wanted it to be a disappointment due to lack of details. Though- some details may not be noticed in investigation time as I did say that people who had selected certain options for their characters would be likely to bring up certain points. So prepare for those as well. Thank you very much, again, comrade! c:_

 _Shadowplayer360- Oooo- now that's an interesting conjecture. It's quite possible- I mean, there's a few more possibilities as to what happened to the mask that way. Liiiike- maybe the wearer was injured by the victim and coughed up blood? Or they did some really weird creepy stuff and smeared blood on the mask. Or maybe they're grievously ill. It's a number of possibilities c: My apologies for the POV issues at the beginning- I'll refrain from doing such a thing again. ;; Thank you very much- I'll be sure to figure out a way to make the trial as entertaining as I can. Uhm- as for your question, I tried looking up those truth bullets- considering I've yet to play/watch let'splays of Despair Girls. I can't really answer it- but if I manage to obtain an actual list of all the bullets- I'll post an answer in the earliest update that I would have such info!_

 _CrimsonSkyTamer- Hiiii Crimmms c: I learned from the best after all. *feeds ego* 'finally' Wow, I suppose too many people have been living for quite some time now. Understood- two more people must die by the time this chapter ends. .0. Just kidding- probably. Omg- no Hitaka must live forever. That was another joke. I dunno who's gonna live yet. I've already switched up culprits like- five times now. ;; Hopefully, no one will be able to guess who kills who and whatnot. Don't question the pink blood. Shhh. I would- wouldn't I? Honestly- I'd be more inclined to believe it was a suicide. c: Knowing me after all. Eccentric suicides and all. Shirotani is adorable. Especially his hands- I'm going to cut them off. *dark laughter* Just kidding-ish. As for the schools- the greatest impact that they have at the moment is their relationships. Anything else- assuming there is anything else -will be revealed later. ...Or kept in the dark forever. Nope- not a long chapter this time. I'd prefer nice short chunks of investigations than a huge investigation chapter. Too much information at once sometimes ;; That's why it's a "Novice" Medical Guide *wink wink* And Shirotani ends up pulling a Mikan- gg._

 _ShadedLyht- I know- and I'm sorry ;v; All will be properly explained in due time. Though I can't help it's taking too long- so my apologies for that as well. ;; And she could be- she could be. It's really anyone's game regarding on who the true wearer of the mask was. I'll be sure to ensure extra graphic execution- wow that felt redundant. It'll be a great special chapter- I promise. ;A; She'll also get a bit of limelight in the memories of our dear Asukawa students. (As seen with Kiyoshi.)_

 _Cupcake Swag Master- Because- the culprit has succumbed to the disease in the pepto-bismol blood. The- Crazy Murderer Psychopathic Disease rawr! But on a more serious note- I cannot disclose that information. Do~ do~ do~ And Hitaka is a bit heartbroken at that ;v; Poor guy. Yeah- original DR wasn't that brutal. ;; Save for Komaeda- yes. Omg, Chiaki, I still mourn your digital spirit. ;A; (Yuuji: Thank you so much :,D It brightens up my day to hear that.) Hush child. Go back to the writer's muse room. Omg- such amazing deductive reasoning ;x; Please don't crack the case before the students- they'll cry. Actually- no we shall break the fourth wall so they may fall into deeper despair. ...Well no, I don't think they'd fall into despair. ...Just get more hope... .-. I'm not very good at this whole despair thing. Hitaka thinks he's gonna keep her from going looney! :O ...But that's not going so well otl. Oooh- yes yes, the dead will always and forever be suspicious. No one is innocent until their case is proven! :3 Omg yes- Hitomi's got some cleaning to do. Omg- if I vomit it just comes out like gushing water. Like fwooosh and them I'm just like- "PAIN. PAIN."_

 _Goldenyellowrabbit- Oh my- perhaps it had been closed before you noticed then ;; My apologies about that but that's pretty nifty to see that you expected her to be one of the first culprits. Oooo ahah x3 If I can figure out a way to link the polls into the story- I'll try doing that. ;; And I hope so as well- though I feel like you may be able to guess it. :3_

 _Cappy- Ooooh- I'm really digging these shi... uhm, what would I call these? ...I'll just call them shi-thingies (/)w(\\) Oh my goodness- I didn't even realize. I had completely forgotten Hotaru's name meant firefly- orz. It was a big ol fancy coincidence. I swear it. And ooooh- that's really intriguing :O Walp- poor Dia. ;v; *throws on chopping block* Chop chop chop. If only I could figure out a way to write everyone's names in numbers- then it'd just be written that way and everyone thinks it's them but it's actually someone else with a similar name. :O (Kiyoshi and Kiyomi spooky. Yuuji and Yuushi. SPOOOKIE)_

 _Chi-Mibuu- *raises hand all guilty like* ;w; She was killed with that uhm- icy fire that you see in videogames and whatnot. c: Magic. Oooooh- go detective go. I can't say anything- besides keep doing your thing c: Solve the mystery before the students can! :D As for the motive- I think the entire thing will have it's large reveal in the next chapter. I think it'll be easier to figure it out then._


	15. Chapter 12: Curtain Call

_**Chapter 12: Curtain Call**_

I could only sit here, watching the girl presently curled up in a ball and weeping her eyes out, blatantly ignoring the voice of the male calling out to her from behind the door. I assumed that it was Hitaka-senpai, he mentioned something about trying to help her calm down to Taro, but... I don't really think anything is going to help her out at this point. The tissue box that was provided in her room was already empty- the trash bin filled to the brim with the soaked beyond belief fabrics.

At least she wasn't crying waterfalls anymore...

Letting out a heavy sigh, I kind of sat there, twiddling my thumbs idly as I looked around- as nervous as can be. Not that I was uncomfortable with being in a girl's room- it was concerning since it was a _crying_ girl's room. Living with as many sisters as I had made it somewhat easy to be around them... Though not immune.

"...Uhm... Kiyomi-senpai...?" I called out to her tentatively, not quite sure what else to say. It's not everyday I get dragged into someone's room while they bawl their eyes out. Then again- neither is seeing a corpse... I'm a couturier for christ's sake. "Do you, err... want me to let him in...?"

It was silent for a moment, save for her slight hiccuping as she kept her face buried in the pillow she clutched ever so tightly- almost as though she would die if she released it.

"...No..." Was the raspy, muffled response. She shifted a bit, keeping her face hidden in the pillow. "...My make-up is all ruined so... I-I don't really want anyone to see me like this..."

"...But _I'm_ in here?" I pointed out as though it were obvious.

"But you can't s-see me!" She fired back- which was a valid point. With the pillow glued to her face like it was, there's no doubt I wouldn't be able to see the cosmetics dripping down her face. No-Not that I wanted to, sheesh. Letting a sigh escape my own mouth, I stood up and began making my way over to the door. This seemed to startle her since she turned around- still keeping the pillow to her face.

"What are you doing?"

"Leaving. I don't see why you dragged me in here with you senpai." Although we're from different schools, I actually knew Kiyomi-senpai a bit- but I wouldn't say we're exactly close. A friend of Caroline senpai's, that's all I saw her as.

"...O-Oh... Okay..." Stopping with a hand on the door, I had to admit, I felt a bit guilty about leaving like this. But seriously, I didn't see why I was in here- I was just sitting there while she cried. And that certainly didn't make anything better. ...I am not heartless.

"...I-I didn't really know Hotaru-san that well..." I muttered, clenching the handle of the door. "S-So sorry for not being able to uhm...empathize with you well. B-But I th-think I can understand why you're so upset. I mean, i-if it was Caroline senpai, _maybe_ I'd be just the slightest bit sad... ...Th-That's all! And don't you dare say I ever said that or I'll make sure your food is poisoned!" Not even giving her a moment to retaliate, I quickly opened the door and slammed it shut.

...I need a nap.

Massaging my neck a bit, I began making my way towards my own room until I bumped into something. Or rather, someone. Looking up to see who had blocked off my path, I shrunk a bit when I witnessed the heated glare of that senior- Hitaka Yuushi. ...Was he angry about something? Crap man, it was an accident.

"...Excuse me..." I huffed a bit, internally scolding myself for doing so as I walked around him. Only to be stopped by his hand grabbing my shoulder. Immediately, I tried grabbing it and flinging him over my shoulder but...

"Oh come on! Why won't this work anymore!?" I cried out, struggling to vault him over. First Senri-senpai, now this guy? I knew I should've practiced more...

"Well, for one, you're not using enough momentum," the fighter pointed out, tugging his hand away. "And two- what were you doing in there? _How_ did you get in there? No, scratch all of that. Is Kiyomi alright?" Ah...right...

Crossing my arms, I glowered at him- though it proved to be ineffective -in an attempt to seem irritated. "Aside from bawling her eyes out, senpai is just a ray of sunshine. You know- you're not really bright when it comes to these things. Just stop bothering her, sheesh." I felt something twiddling with a strand of my hair, swatting it away only to realize that it was my own hand.

I really needed to stop doing that subconsciously.

"A-Anyways, it's like watching a child trying to get someone to play with them. So, for both of your sakes- stop being so uhm, overbearing? Yeah, let's go with that." He didn't say much after that, allowing me to finally return to my room in peace.

"Dia!"

Goddammit.

Turning around, I was immediately slammed into by my _dearest_ Caroline-senpai only to be pulled into a bone crushing hug. Well, maybe not bone crushing- but it was still uncomfortable. Like one of those unnaturally tight hugs that your grandparents give you when you go visit them. Anyways, I struggled a bit, trying to release myself from her grip but no dice.

"...What is it...?" I asked, hoping the sooner I indulged in her conversation the sooner she'd be on her way to bother someone else. Why couldn't it have been Naoki? Why me? ...I'm not sorry Naoki-senpai.

"It's nothing- Senri shooed me away from the crime scene and Kiki was too busy doing her own investigating so I went looking for you!" She regaled me in her tale, her peppy cheer never fading away. "And here I am! I told you, my magic is the strongest- I can find anyone in a heartbeat. We have a sacred bond that no one can shatter- the one between master and student!"

"...What are you talking about..." Good grief, I've made a terrible mistake.

* * *

"Nothing..." I murmured, closing the compartments of the last drawer in the lobby. Kimiko, who was currently sitting next to the unconscious Izuna, scoffed loud enough for me to hear.

"What would you expect? The secrets to the case?" She called out sarcastically, forcing me to roll my eyes. "Aren't you a writer- y'know, good at figuring out where the criminal would hide things?"

"And aren't you a screenplay director- fantastic at figuring out scenes? I think this would be a far more easier feat for you than I," I huffed, turning around with my arms gripping each other across my chest. "I'm trying to do _something_. Shirotani found a model gun in one of these things, so excuse me for thinking that more things could be in some of the other ones."

We glared at each other for a good solid minute before turning away, noses up in the air. I don't know why I expected anything less of snobbiness from members of Silver Wing. ...Though Caroline is an exception- she's just extremely loopy. ...Or maybe that's just how she disguises her true nature.

Yes, I still think she's evil. She is hiding something- my writer instincts can taste it!

"Well, let me know if you do find something. Then it can be your turn to look after this kid, I've got some investigating I'd like to do myself as well. ...I didn't even get to finish..." Though she muttered that last bit, I could hear her quite well since it was dead silent. And the lobby echoed things quite well.

"You stopped your own investigation on your own accord."

"Because _you_ cried out like a maiden in danger. I could _never_ ignore a maiden's cry for help."

"Idid no such thing! I was yelling so he'd get the message to not endanger my life!" Not really paying attention to where my foot was going as I swung it out to kick something, I found it coming in contact with something solid. Solid and _hard_. "Ffff-!" Clutching my foot in pain as I hopped around on one leg and trying to ignore the chuckles of the movie director just a few meters away.

"Oh haha- a maiden hurts her foot and you laugh. You're _so_ charming!"

"I know, it's not easy but someone's gotta do it. And sure as heck isn't going to be Hiromoto." Hiromoto? Who was that? No wait- that's the one perverted guy with the glasses, isn't he?

"Speaking of that guy, I haven't seen him for a while..." I noted, recalling he was around when we found Hotaru's body- if you could even call it a body. Then afterwards, he kind of just vanished. "Hey-hey, you're his girlfriend. Send him a message and ask him if he's found any clues." I immediately regretted that. The glare she sent me was a mix of a heated stare and an icy glower that I could _literally_ feel the change in temperatures.

"Uhm... I mean your stalker...?" I tried, hoping to somewhat appease her. It worked- or at least I think it did. She wasn't giving me that frightening _look_ anymore but I could tell that she was still irritated with me for saying that. I'd say I have no regrets, but then I'd be lying.

"I don't care. He could've cracked the mystery of who imprisoned us here and I'd still avoid speaking to him as though he were some genetically engineered super-disease." Wow, harsh. Though I kind of get where she's coming from.

Sort of.

"Sooo, is there a particular reason why you're so mean to Hiromoto?" I asked absentmindedly, hopping over the check-in desk. If there was still something in this room, I'd bet my career as a writer that it'd be over her.

"He's male."

The silence that followed that simple response lasted for far too long. "...And...?"

"That's it?"

Moving my head up quickly, causing it to collide with the desk as I was checking the cabinets underneath- and there are a lot of them, like what does a check-in lady need these for? Making a loud hissing sound as I rubbed my head, I scooched away carefully to give this lady an 'are you kidding me look.'

"Is that seriously the only reason why you don't like him?" I asked.

She paused for a moment, thinking about it before opening her mouth to respond. "He's annoying, perverse, hits on anything with legs- anything that could be considered _alive_ in some way, shape or form, he can't grasp the understanding of 'I am not amused by your shenanigans so please stop before I break your face' that I try to drill into him whenever he tries anything on me. And...I don't like men. Okay, maybe not a dislike of them just easily annoyed by them."

"..." We just kind of, stared at each other in silence. Well, more so me in a silent dumbstruck way and she just wondering if I had finally snapped. Or at least that's what I assumed from the look on her face.

"What? Is that so wrong?" She asked, 'hmph'ing and crossing her arms over her chest. She actually looked offended, I never knew she could react that way.

"No... Not really I guess? I just, never figured such a person would exist, you'd only see them in fiction..." I admit, that sounded a bit rude but it was the truth. To this date, I have never met someone who openly disliked the opposite gender to such an extent- I mean, wouldn't you just ignore them? ...Well, it is Hiromoto we're talking about... But wait, isn't she friends with Senri? ...And Dia? Though I don't think Dia counts... And I think it's more like-

Why do I care so much!?

 _ **Student Profile Update!**_

 _ **Kimiko Mayu Level 1**_

 _The director seriously has some boy issues. In more ways than just one. I'm just gonna say she doesn't like them- though there are a few exceptions but one is a special case. She says she gets easily annoyed by them- it's like she's one of those fictional characters Emi has in her games. ...Maybe... Just maybe... Kimiko is really just a huge tsundere?_

 _"Good work Naoki-chan!"_ A voice called out, sounding like it came from one of my pockets. ...I heard absolutely nothing. Deciding to ignore it for now, I resumed my search for something pertaining to this case, hoping I might find something of interest.

And bingo- the fates were on my side!

In one of the slots where keys for the rooms on the first floor were kept was a square shaped object. Or maybe it was rectangular- it doesn't matter. The point is, I found a clue. I took note that it was in slot number four and took it without any hesitation. I almost wanted to call out to Kimiko that I found a clue, but then she might just swipe it and I couldn't check it out for myself.

However, I quickly realized that the object was familiar in both weight and feel. Actually taking a proper look at it, I realized that it was someone's DIG-ID. Did someone misplace theirs? ...If they did, then why would it be here? Or maybe someone just put it here and forgot? No, they need this to enter their rooms... Rolling my eyes at myself for asking all these questions when I could just turn it on and answer them myself, I did so.

 _Hotaru Amemori_

Though it was only there for a few seconds, I definitely knew I saw the deceased's name pop up on the device. This had to be Hotaru's DIG-ID, I had no doubts that it was. But why was it here? Wasn't it destroyed by being with Hotaru's body? ...Did we even wonder about that in the first place? Well, whatever, I have it now. Hopefully I can find something interesting with this...

 _ **Evidence Bullet Added!**_

 _Hotaru Amemori's DIG-ID_

 _It's not certain what all is on here, but something pertaining to the case could definitely be in here... But first- let's snoop around her room!_

Yes, let's snoop around her room. "I'll be back Kimiko!" I called out to the girl who immediately yelled back, demanding I make my return but I ignored her. I've got some detecting to do and I've got no time to babysit someone unconscious.

* * *

I wondered if it was a good idea to leave Hitaka to his own devices at Kiyomi's door like a sad little puppy. But...I really wanted to get back into investigating- even after that little...sentimental moment we had. If there's one thing I could do at the very least, it's finding Hotaru's killer. She's been one of the greatest friend's I've had so I owe her at least that much.

But, where exactly was I supposed to go looking for evidence?

Without even thinking much about that, I had snuck off into the Manager's Lounge. Honestly, I wasn't expecting to find anything in here. But at the same time, I felt that I would be able to at least find _something_.

Right?

The only thing I noticed was the magazine rack. It seemed like it was lacking in... I dunno, magazines? Last time I was here I was sure that there were more of them. Unfortunately, my DIG-ID didn't seem to care about that- considering how it didn't even react when I examined the rack. I guess it has nothing to do with the case, awesome.

Moving along, I dug around the trash bin by the entrance, oddly enough there were a efw ripped up magazines inside.

"Talk about a waste..." I was about to move on, but as I was moving my hands out- trying not to get a paper cut while I was at it -my hand brushed against something plastic. I wouldn't have paid any attention to it if the trash bin wasn't made out of metal. Feeling around again, I managed to find it a few seconds later and pulled out a lighter. Like, one of those lighters you'd use to light up birthday cakes in the way- _way_ old ages.

"...People still have these around...? ...Then again, calligraphy is still around so I guess that's fair..." I sighed a bit, suddenly feeling a bit depressed at the thought of old aged things. I was about to just throw it back in the trashbin, but my DIG-ID had a few words to say.

 _ **Evidence Bullet Added!**_

 _Plastic Lighter_

 _One of those lighters that you'd use for lighting things like candles. It's plastic and the little pull down button keeps you from doing something stupid like accidentally lighting it. Safety first! Though, I wonder what it's doing here in this day and age... Like calligraphy._

"Wow, okay. Thanks," I grumbled at the electronic asshat. "I'll have you know, Calligraphy is an extremely difficult thing to do and teaches you a lot of things. Like, uh. Patience. And uhm... Gives you a value for tradition and..."

...Why am I trying to explain how worthy my talent is to a machine...?

"Screw it!" Tossing the plastic lighter into the trashbin, I quickly left to go see if Hitaka was going psycho for Kiyomi yet.

* * *

Finally, I had some time alone. It was slowly becoming a pain with Caroline in here, chattering about the most random things. I couldn't even focus on conducting the rest of my investigation. Raking a hand through my gray tresses, I began reevaluating the scene. According to Taro, there's an inconsistency with the layout of the room in regards to the door and the scorch marks.

But, I don't think it's the door. ...Well, it could be, but I have a gut feeling that we overlooked something else.

Crouching down to the floor, careful to not get any scorch smudges on my jeans, I began examining the marks in the kitchen first. Unlike the ones in the freezer, they seemed to be less...splattery? Jagged? It had more of a faded look to it. It's hard for me to describe it into the words.

...It just didn't seem like an explosion caused this... It seemed more like a simple fire's doing...

Fire...

Also, it doesn't look like they line up correctly... Even if the door wasn't there in the first place, the explosion should've taken off part of the wall... But instead, it just left scorch marks... Not to mention, ones that aren't even similar in shape...

 _ **Evidence Bullet Updated!**_

 _Scorch Marks_

 _The marks left behind in the Kitchen don't seem to be consistent with the ones in the freezer. Is it possible that they were made by two different things...?_

Retrieving my DIG-ID from my back pocket, I tried out the app to call Hitomi. A few seconds passed before a faint light began emanating in the middle of the kitchen and voila, the hologram herself was floating before me.

"What can I do for you Mr. Journalist?" She hummed, flying about before landing, hands on her hips. "No questions about my sizes please. I may be a digital girl but I still have things I don't want to talk about. And don't expect me to tell you who the culprit is- cause I won't! I kind of forgot."

I highly doubted that, but whatever. "I just wanted to know, if an explosion were to happen... Would the walls be destroyed as well...? It's important."

"Hmmmm..." She dragged out the incessant sound she was making, looking as though she were thinking of a proper response to give me. It was clear that she was debating on whether or not she'd give me a straight answer, staring hard at the wall above the entrance to the Freezer. "No. Master made specific preparations in the event someone accidentally blew up the kitchen. The supplies may end up being destroyed, but the room won't actually collapse or anything. ...Unless I make it so that happens!

Maybe I'll cave you guys in a room with nothing but each melted ice cream. Yes, it's the perfect motive. Now, to figure out what room would be most suitable for that..." Without even me needing to dismiss her, she faded away, leaving me alone once more.

"God, she's so bizarre..."

 _ **"I heard that!"**_

"Goddammit..." Well, at least I got my answers. Strangely enough, the device didn't register it as evidence. I wonder why... Ah well, best not to dwell on it too much, back to investigating. So I've figured out that the scorch marks were from entirely two different things- or at least, figured that to be a huge possibility. But what about the door...

Making my way over to the large sleet of metal. Just judging from the looks of it, I could tell that it was heavy. Just how powerful was that explosion...? If the building didn't have measures taken for it, would it have collapsed...? And... ...What's this...?

Leaning closer to the door, I noticed that there were some dents in it. ...Why on earth would there be dents in the door...? And it's not like they're even small, they're quite big actually. Were there multiple explosions...? No, there's just the loud one. Then again, the sound was so loud I couldn't even hear myself breathe even after it had passed.

 _ **Evidence Bullet Added!**_

 _Dents In The Freezer Door_

 _There's some large dents placed on this thing. Not too sure what caused them, but there's quite a few._

That's not really useful evidence... But, it seems like it might be of some importance so whatever. Raking a hand through my hair again, I made my way into the freezer again. I was thankful that the smell of vomit had began to fade away, or maybe I was just getting used to it. ...Or maybe it's because Kimiko's vomit was frozen solid on the floor. I don't really care why, I'm just glad it didn't reek as bad as it did earlier.

However, before I could even begin looking around, my investigation was rudely interrupted.

 _ **"Ding. Dong. Ding! I think you've guys have had enough time- it's Trial Time! Dun dun dun!"**_ Hitomi's voice rang out from my DIG-ID, making me curse in irritation. However, I didn't want to be late for this so I took my leave of the Kitchen and eventually, the Dining Hall. As I was taking my leave, I noticed that someone else had left the Kitchen just moments after I did.

...Was someone else in there while I wasn't paying attention? ...No, I was sure that I had been in there by myself. ...Or was I? I can't remember. Maybe I was too busy staring at scorch marks and dents in doors. Who knows. It only took a few moments to register who it was.

Taro- and he seemed to be _smirking_. ...Did he find something I didn't notice. I was about to ask him about it, but.

 _ **"Oops! I forgot to tell you guys where to meet! This would be the part where I would hit my head with the back of my hand and be all cute like with my tongue sticking out- teehee! Just kidding, I would never do that. You guys know that elevator that doesn't work? Yeah- try swiping your DIG-IDs. It might work this time!"**_ The hostess announced from my DIG-ID, catching me off-guard again.

 _ **"For the fools who don't remember where it is, go down the Eastern Hallway. ...Or was it the Western hallway? I don't remember- the hallway that isn't the middle one or the one that leads to the Dining Hall!"**_

 _Click._

Is it just me, or do we have a really incompetent host...

* * *

 _ **Current Location - Western/Eastern Hallway Outside the Elevator**_

Soon enough when I arrived, everyone was already there. Some of us looked extremely nervous about the events to unfold. Most notably, Kiyomi. It didn't take a psychologist to tell that she was extremely affected by this- just someone with eyes to notice how red her eyes were. But as usual, her make-up was excellent. I suppose she made sure that she didn't look like a mess when she made her reappearance- which is a good sign.

It means she's trying to recuperate. ...Is that even the right word?

Anyways, others seemed to have a strange air of confidence. Taro- with his smirking self- and Naoki oddly enough. it was clear that these two had found something that could be considered extremely important. And while these two were looking smug as can be, Kimiko and Shirotani seemed to be having a field day with carrying Izuna. It was strange. It's been like, what? A couple hours since he passed out? I wonder what was up with him...

"I require to attend to some urgent-"

"No! I swear to god, you had me help you carry this guy and you are going to keep on doing it until we get inside the elevator or so help me." Well, Kimiko certainly sounded frustrated- not that I blamed her. But, it's nice to see she's got her fiery attitude back to say the least.

"Can we just like- skip?" Kiyoshi asked, arms crossed and a pout adorning his face. "I really don't feel like going through with this, it's just going to be a whole lotta yelling and 'you've got that wrong' over and over again."

"Nonsense," Emi interjected, "It'd be more like- 'that screenplay is faulty' or 'like- I totally ship it.' Though, I must admit the classics would be nice to bring back, but the audience needs some pizzaz!"

"...What audience...?" Dia asked, arching a brow at the- who I assumed was delusional -girl.

"...Just ignore her crazy nonsense..." Taro sighed, the smirk he bore fading into an annoyed grimace. The girl in question immediately shrunk back, pressing her fingertips together as we all idly awaited the elevator doors to open.

...Which seemed like it would never happen.

"Hey guys- sorry I'm late! Did you all miss me? Shh, don't answer that. I already know the answer," Ken's voice called out as he rushed down the hallway, glasses dangling off his face as he did so.

"Nope, not really!" Asane chirped, a large smile tugging on her lips. "I didn't even notice that you weren't here!" Ouch.

"Yeah, me neither. Who are you again?" Yuuji mused, a smile on his lips as well. Soon enough, everyone began joining in on the farce, claiming to not know who Ken was.

"Wow, you guys are horrible. Absolutely treacherous! Not even my own mother treated me that way- and she threw me out of the house for cleaning the dishes the wrong way." He cried out, hand to his forehead as he feigned hurt. It certainly roused a short chorus of laughs from a few of us, but once the elevator door opened that short burst of entertainment was gone.

The empty space before us was just a grim reminder of what was to come. An execution or a severe punishment for those of us who were innocent. A reminder of what had happened. The absolutely wretched attack on one of our own- Hotaru Amemori. It was almost like a spell had been placed on us, ridding us of the short lived joy that we had for but a brief moment.

And that familiar feeling had returned. The feeling of distrust. As we filled up the elevator, we all tried not to stand close to one another, keeping plenty of space between each one of us. Being the last one to board, I stood at the front, staring at the doors as they closed. There were several buttons on the panel next to the door, four of which bore numbers from two to five. Above the five was an R which I believe stood for the room. Below the two, was a G which was probably the ground floor- or the first floor. However, there were no more buttons after that yet we were going down.

It was bumpy, unnaturally bumpy as we moved down. You'd think with all the years we had for technological advancements we'd have teleporters for this. Or at the very least, smooth rides for elevators. But of course, we wouldn't get that luxury...

Cutting my thoughts off, the elevator doors suddenly flung themselves open and we found ourselves staring at a traditional trial room. At least, according to our history textbooks.

 **"I figured we'd go with something more... retro for the first trial."** Hitomi called out to us from the large podium that she occupied, legs crossed and feet in the air while she drank some digital liquid. **"Stands are assigned from coolest to lamest so I think you guys can figure it out."**

"...But, it's a circle...?" Shirotani pointed out, staring at her with a blank expression.

 **"Yeah, that's the point."** He just stared at her, expression failing to change. Huffing a bit, the girl snapped her fingers and holographic figures of ourselves stood at the podiums. **"There! Can't even figure out a gosh darned joke... Teenagers, I swear."**

"I don't know if you noticed but... You have the appearance of a teenager... And I'm pretty sure we were created before you, so you're pretty much a child." Kimiko pointed out, dragging Izuna over to his stand before taking her place at her own. Shirotani did this as well, considering he was helping her carry the boy. After they did this, the holograms of themselves vanished without a trace.

"Cool!" Emi exclaimed, quickly making her way over to her own podium and hopping on it. Her eyes lit up when her own hologram vanished. "It's like we're in a videogame, selecting our save slots. No wait, more like choosing our classes even though they're pre-designed."

"It is, isn't it?" Asane agreed, a smile tugging at her own lips as she too, took her spot. Soon enough, we all began occupying the podiums except for one which had Hotaru standing on it, a pink ring circling around her with the word 'Dead' floating around her in the same color. After a moment, the image of her distorted, giving her skin a more charred look to it. Flesh had began hanging off and there were even holes in some part, revealing some sort of tissue. It wasn't a pleasant sight and I was more than thankful that it wasn't in actual color instead of the plain black and white gradient she carried.

 **"As per tradition dictates, the fallen will be viewing the trial as well. Though, I think it'd be in better tastes to have her as she is- dead! It's much more thrilling that way, don't you agree?"** Our hostess sang out, clapping her hands. We gave her no words, opting to ignore her take on a matter such as this. **"Boo, you guys aren't any fun. Are you guys starting to hate me now? Not that I care! Anyways, I shall begin with explaining how things will go along. First-"**

"There's no need," Kimiko cut in, silencing the girl. Her arms were crossed and her gaze was focused on the floor in the middle of our circle which seemed to be some sort strange...thingy? Anyways, our director friend seemed to sound quite serious. Suddenly, her hand was pointed directly across from her.

At Yuuji.

"We don't need to discuss or figure out all the mechanics right now. It's already clear to anyone with eyes and a brain- the culprit is none other than Yuuji Nakamura!"

An accusation right off the bat? Seriously?

Soon enough after she said that, the lights in the room dimmed and the thingy- I'm just gonna call it a projector -that we encircled turned on. All of our podiums began spinning around, causing several of us to cry out and clutch onto them for support in fear of flying off.

"Wh-What's happening?" Kiyomi cried out, fear evident in her voice.

"No clue! Bu-But this is kind of cool!" Hitaka yelled, a glint appearing in his eyes. Oh god, please tell me he doesn't see this as some sort of roller coaster attraction or something bizarre like that?

 **"Mega long sigh,"** Hitomi huffed, clearing sounding irritated. **"I wish you would've waited before saying something like that. Now the system is starting before I even explain the rules and mechanics..."**

"Rules? Mechanics?" This time it was me who was asking the questions. However, my answer came quickly enough. Materializing in front of each one of us, was some sort of gun. Confused and perplexed by the sudden appearance, I grabbed it and found that it felt extremely real. _Too_ real. "Are you kidding me?! A fucking gun in a trial room?!"

"...I thought the killing was supposed to happen outside of these things... Not during them..." Ken muttered, taking his own gun and examining it cautiously.

 **"Hush. These aren't for killing. We're beginning the first round- a nonstop debate."** Hitomi began explaining, a digital lollipop forming in her hands as she gestured to us. **"At certain points during the trial, such events will be triggered based on either the emotions you guys exhibit in your words, your words themselves or simply when things get to a specific kind of point. Be it a turning point or just getting stuck- various sorts of scenarios will appear.**

 **Using your guns, you guys will fire evidence bullets at the words that will appear when someone is speaking, so make sure you're always paying attention. Words that can be hit with an evidence bullet will appear like _this._** **Still bold, but italicized.** **More functions with this will be added but focus on that for now. Anyways- good luck! Also- you have to say a cool phrase when you fire your bullet!"**

"Wait- so I just wait until someone starts-"

 _Bang._

"What the hell Caroline?! I didn't even get to finish talking and that game thing didn't even start yet!" Naoki shouted, slamming her free hand on her podium as she glared at the girl. The blonde simply smiled, looking as carefree as ever.

 _ **Nonstop Debate!**_

 _I have a feeling that we're screwed..._

* * *

 _A/N_

 _Walp, that was a thing. A thing that I so greatly enjoyed writing! (/)w(\\) I was actually putting off writing this, I've been feeling so lazy but then I was listening to this song and I was like- omfg I feel like writing. And then bang, I finished the chapter. I'm not sure how long until the next one comes out since I dunno how the bloody pits I'm going to do all the features that the actual game has. I'm sure I'll figure something out- at least I hope so. I've already got an idea on how I want to do the Machine Gun Talk Battles/Panic Talk Battles. It'll be a bit different from the actual thing but I'll try to make sure it stays relatively similar. qq. I think that's all for this author's note- I'm pleased with how this chapter came out. A bit clunky in my opinion but I'm satisfied with it nonetheless._

 _Review Replies-_

 _ShadedLyht- Ooooo- interesting ideas here. I think Caroline is a bit sad that she's being accused of murder- but I think she'll get over it. c: She was indeed, a beautiful star at that. ;v; And thank you very much._

 _Cupcake Swag Master- Omg, don't do that. Sleep insteaaaaad- reading can wait until like, 2:00 pm. Oh noes, I think I'm going to have to re-think murder plots for the next few cases then ;; Kiyoshi is as guilty as a kitten playing with yarn while rolling on it's back going 'mewl' ;A;. Until it's revealed that he was the culprit all along and that he's actually the SHSL Feelsmaker orz. Yes, that is now canon. If an AU were to be written, that is precisely who she will be. Drunk- oh my goodness. /;; I fear what may come out of that. Omg good luck at working ;v; We can be work buddies- buddies who woooork._

 _Chi-Mibuu- Haha, my plan is working! :D Shirotani's gotta do his job as the nurse, checking corpses like a professional. Only to find disturbing nasty things ;;_

 _CrimsonSkyTamer- There is nothing to learn from me except on being a derp. ;v; O- too late. Izuna is actually the victim this chapter. Hotaru is just Izuna in stilts. Spoiler alert. c: EVC isn't the culprit- it's Rin. Rin is always the culprit. O- so you will do a huge theory on the last chapter of the trial segment then? :o 'Cause there's still the evidence from other people who don't get the spotlight for investigating. I always give you reviews. When I feel like it qq. -switches culprits again- Stop trying to persuade us with your fancy jargan. Anatomy Pathways of Logic is just fancy talk for Nurse. Stahp. He can use his toes to investigate._

 _Until next time! :O Which may be never otl._


	16. Chapter 13: Trial 1-1

_**Chapter 13: Trial 1-1**_

 **"Ah... well, it seems like everyone understands it. Some less than others..."** Hitomi glanced at Caroline briefly as she said this before letting out a heavy sigh. **"Anyways, the simulation will only display in realtime until a certain point- afterwards it will be a loop. Of course, if you nitwits can't figure it out after so many replays, the simulation will cut off."**

"What- no! That's not-"

 _ **"Begin!"**_

* * *

 _ **Nonstop Debate!**_

Emi: Uhm... I hardly think that's fair...

Daigo: I agree- like what if my aim sucks? What if I can't figure it out in time?

Taro: Idiot one, idiot two. It started.

Hitaka: Really? What was the thing that triggered this thing again?

Hitaka: I can't really remember...

Kimiko: You guys are useless.

Kimiko: As I was saying before this thing started, Yuuji's the clear cut culprit.

Kiyomi: What makes you so sure of that...?

Kiyomi: ...Yuuji's... Yuuji's Hotaru's schoolmate so...

Kimiko: And? It's obvious as Lindsay Lohan's bad acting!

Ken: Copyrights! Copyrights! And time periods- please.

Kimiko: Oh, shut up.

Kimiko: The point is, **_there's absolutely no way it could've been anyone but Yuuji._**

Dia: Well, if Kimiko-senpai...

 ** _Caroline: Let's End this Illusion!_**

* * *

 _Bang._

Just as Kimiko's words were about to be replaced by Dia's, the blonde magician pulled the trigger on her gun- firing a truth bullet and destroying her argument. Following the action, the podiums lowered back to the ground in their original positions as an robotic voice began speaking. Like one of those voices that you'd hear when someone ignores your calls and it goes to voicemail.

 _"Evidence bullet fired- Yuuji's Testimony. Evidence is deemed to be correct. Fired by; Caroline. Awarded, 96 points."_ The voice announced, though the location of where it was coming from could not be determined. _"Nonstop debate, Passed. Carry on."_

"What?" Kimiko was obviously astonished by this. However, not because the fact that her argument had been shattered _and_ approved by the system. "How the hell is that evidence even able to go against my argument? It's the _suspect's_ testimony!" She slammed her hands on her podium, her pistol getting caught between her right hand and the lustrous wood.

"Because- a testimony has as much credibility as a theory," Caroline answered, giving her fellow schoolmate a small smile. "Anyways, you remember what Yuuji-san told you, correct? I'll play the audio file back so everyone properly knows about it."

 _"Listen- I haven't had that mask in my possession since two days ago. As in, it was not in my possession at all during the day. I lost it sometime after we had went investigating places."_

True enough, Yuuji's voice had echoed throughout the trial room, stating exactly what he had told Kimiko in the freezer. However, the girl remained unconvinced.

"So what? Just because he himself says so doesn't mean it's true. He could've had it the entire time and just made that up on the fly." The director wouldn't be budging. Well, at least she was able to firmly determine things with some logic.

"I agree," Asane spoke this time, raising a hand as she did so. "I mean, it's not like it's hard to lie about these kinds of things... Especially if you're the culprit and you _need_ to lie... But if there was a witness to this then..."

"See? I'm not the only one."

"And what if I could tell you that there _was_ a witness to this?" Taro interjected, a bored expression settling on his features.

 _"What?_ " Obviously, Kimiko hadn't been expecting that.

"Well, if there was indeed a witness then that'd mean Yuuji was telling the truth... ...Right?" Kiyoshi piped in, finger pressed to his chin as he thought about it. "No, I'm sure it'd make it true."

The room fell in silence for a brief moment until Shirotani decided to speak up. "...So, who is the witness to his supposed alibi. Can we refer to it as that or should we simply call it a testimony?"

"I think alibi is a bit too much, so let's stick with testimony," Senri answered, raising his hand as he did so. "And, _I_ would be the witness to Yuuji's mask disappearing. I assisted him with searching for it about... two days prior to the events? Or was it one day? ...Either way, it was at least a day before the murder was actually committed. And we didn't find the mask."

"...And there you have it- Yuuji's _not_ guilty because of the mask." Caroline smiled, happy with her skills. Sucking her teeth, the ravenette director adjusted her glasses and looked away.

"Fine, but he's not cleared of suspicion yet."

"Of course not, but it does mean we have the opportunity to look at other things now!" Ken had a bit of excitement in his voice as he said that- only God knows why. And surely, it couldn't have been good. Or so the group assumed at least.

"...Right..." Dia gave the boy a weary look before clearing his throat. "How about we start with the actual crime scene? Make sure we clarify a few things about it?"

"I think that would be a good idea..." Kiyomi agreed, nodding her head. "...I didn't quite get a good look at it since I ran out..."

With that, the podiums began spinning again and lifting up slightly off the ground. Unfortunately for a select few, their stomachs didn't quite agree with the actions of the rejected amusement park ride. Namely Naoki as she was slumped over the wooden finish of her own podium.

 _ **Nonstop Debate!**_

Emi: Sorry to repeat history, but like- one of the reviewers were wondering about the Elevator and-

Yuuji: ...Reviewers? Reviewers of what?

Asane: I think Emi needs a nap...

Emi: Wh-What? No! It's a serious thing-

Taro: I'm going to staple your mouths shut.

Emi: ...Sorry...

Dia: ...Anyways, about the crime scene...

Dia: According to the Medical Guide, it's not clarified whether she died in the Kitchen or the Freezer...

Hitaka: ...So...? Maybe she was like... killed in between them, then she wouldn't be able to put the room names down.

Ken: I highly doubt that's what Dia's getting at.

Ken: He's bringing up the possibility that she could've been killed elsewhere and brought into the Freezer.

Naoki: Urgh... No... That's not possible...

Dia: And why not? Also- are you okay...?

Dia: You're looking a little green...? Y-You better not vomit, I stand right next to you!

Naoki: Oh shut up... Anyways, her body was _burned in the same places as the scorch marks- I doubt she would've been moved from another place **.**_

Kiyomi: So-So then-

 _ **Yuuji: Let's make this Illusion a Reality!**_

* * *

Just like the last time, the simulator slowly shut down- signifying that the round was over. Everyone looked to Caroline who simply stared, cocking her head to the side in confusion.

"Ah, no. That was me- sorry. I stole Caroline's phrase; I couldn't think of one for myself." With a sheepish laugh, the boy twirled the gun in his hand before setting it down.

 _"Evidence bullet fired- Shirotani's Autopsy Report. Evidence is deemed to be correct in refuting the argument. Fired by; Yuuji. Awarded, 90 points."_ The voice announced once again before silence filled the room.

"Wait, what? Shirotani made an autopsy report?" Naoki inquired, seeming legitimately surprised. She looked over to the boy who simply stared back, a blank expression adorning his features.

"Yeah, it's right here. I'll just do this..." As he said this, he began pressing a few keys on his DIG-ID and in moments, everyone had a screen with the autopsy report in front of them.

 _The corpse seems to have sustained it's ankle and wrist injuries prior to being burned- which makes sense. It's undetermined whether or not they are the cause of death as well as if they were created postmortem. The neck injury is certainly there as well and the victim seems to have suffered a blow to the head as well. Furthermore, the victim's body is substantially cold with slight warmth in various places- likely from the explosion. As such, a proper time of death cannot be accurately determined._

"I think it's likely that due to the body being substantially cold that she had been in the freezer for an extended amount of time. So I believe that could also be where she had been murdered." A small smile tugging at his lips, the boy concluded his defense. Or was it offense in this case. Nonetheless, everyone seemed content with that.

"Unless she was moved from the Kitchen into the Freezer..." Taro pointed out. "Look- let's just say the Kitchen and the Freezer are one entity. That way, it makes it easier on us."

 **"But they're not the same place!"** Hitomi pointed out, thrusting a finger in the air. **"The freezer is the freezer and the kitchen is the kitchen! I didn't slave over my internal hardware to create labels for things only for you ungrateful children to just ignore them..."**

"...So anyways, how did she get into the Freezer/Kitchen then?" Kimiko inquired, crossing her arms.

"That is a good question..." Kiyoshi muttered, rubbing his chin. "I mean, the Dining Hall was locked when we checked it despite the Morning Announcement... It should've been unlocked then, no?"

 **"Ignoring me!? You guys are mean!"**

"Hey, Hitomi. I never asked you this, but about your morning announcements... You always unlock the locked areas that we're permitted access to immediately after, right?" Senri inquired, arching a brow. However, the AI simply pouted and turned away, keeping silent.

"Woman, this is no time to be playing games. Just tell us yes or no," Taro grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

 **"...Yes. The doors to the Kitchen and Dining Hall were unlocked immediately after my announcement."**

"You promise?" Asane asked, staring at her. She received a nod in response, humming at the answer before asking again. "Do you promise, promise?" This only seemed to irritate the virtual girl, as she threw her hands up and their devices beeped.

 ** _Rule 00: Anything Hitomi says or said is true. Nothing is a lie- period._**

"Well, that settles that then..." Kimiko hummed, the vigor she held earlier. "Then that means the culprit has been discovered with ease."

"...Are you kidding me?" Emi asked, staring at the girl with disbelief.

"I don't joke. Unless I joke- which I'm not doing right now."

* * *

 _Select:_

 _1\. Senri_

 _2\. Emi_

 _3\. Hitaka_

 _4\. Hotaru_

 _5\. Caroline_

 _6. **[[** **Yuuji ]]**_

 _7\. Shirotani_

 _8\. Izuna_

 _9\. Kimiko_

 _10\. Kiyoshi_

 _11\. Naoki_

 _12\. Dia_

 _13\. Kiyomi_

 _14\. Taro_

 _15\. Asane_

 _16\. Ken_

 ** _Kimiko: Only they have acting this horrible!_**

"Yuuji- obviously." She said, pointing a finger at him. "I mean- he _is_ the Super High School Level Mimic. Copying Hitomi's voice should be a simple feat for him, right? Furthermore-"

 _ **Kiyomi: That's a match made wrong!**_

Without warning, Kimiko's podium began moving up into the air along with Kiyomi's, the match-maker staring at her with a heated glare. A mix of emotions were in her eyes- and for a moment, the ravenette could've sworn she saw hate among the mix.

"Right now, you're just making a false accusation!" She shouted, leaning over her podium with her hands clenched tightly. "Yuuji... Yuuji wouldn't do something like that."

"Listen- you're not thinking properly. This is a-"

" _No._ I'm thinking perfectly fine. I have the proof to prove that he didn't copy her voice." The interruption was low and monotone, but before anymore words could be exchanged, the simulator turned on again. This time, holographic forms of the two girls stood in the middle of everyone for their viewing pleasures. In each of their replicas' hands was a single sword. The two glared at each other, unwavering.

"Uhm... What's with the showcase...? Are they about to have a valiant swordfight to the death for the hand of the fair maiden Yuuji?" Emi inquired, pointing at the holograms.

"Wh-What!?" Several glances were thrown her way- the most notable were the surprised and shocked expressions adorned by Yuuji himself and Hitaka, the silly ex-boyfriend.

"Who has a stapler?" Taro inquired, glancing about as he intended to keep to his words from earlier.

"No! Please- no! I'm-a-sorry! It's a me-"

"Copyrights, Emi! Copyrights!" Ken shouted, pointing a finger at her as she clamped her hands over her mouth. Well, hopefully she'd keep from sputtering nonsense for a while then...

 **"Ahh... I didn't think we'd get into this until later... I suppose I should be explaining this then..."** Hitomi let out a grumpy sigh, sitting up in her own podium. **"So basically what's happening now, is the Quick Blade Duel. It was originally going to be this thing called a Cross Swords... ...Something. I dunno- don't really care. Buuuut, we figured that this would be a much more easier thing to do."**

"We?" Caroline inquired, tilting her head.

 **"As in, me and my master-"**

"My master and I," Naoki corrected, adjusting her glasses so the light would cause the lenses to shine. "Please learn proper grammar and sentence structures Miss A.I."

 **"Proper grammar and sentence blah blah blah, no one cares! Anyways, as I was saying. This is basically whoever's argument has a false chink in it. Of course, both can have such weakpoints but if they aren't discovered, we may never know. Usually, you can assume that only one is correct and one is incorrect. You won't know until later, but still. Everything that happens here is mostly speculation anyways, so go nuts.**

 **So what will happen is, the two will go back and forth in their argument until one of them slips up. That is, we assume their opponent notices the slip up and seizes the opportunity to strike. Striking, is causing the holograph to end the duel by disarming the other holograph. So basically, as you guys do this they will be locking blades in a seemingly never ending push and pull."**

"...Wouldn't that be the same thing as the other thing you were talking about...?" Kiyoshi inquired, tilting his head. "I mean, the blades are still touching so... Still technically crossing."

 **"...Shut up! It had different principles! Let's just get this show on the road!"**

"Kiyomi, it's not too late to back down. Let's just admit it, Yuuji's the culprit. We're not going to get anywhere by you stalling this- I have the evidence to back me up. While it's not everything- it's still enough." Kimiko was trying to reason with the girl, staring her down but the girl didn't seem like she was going to relent.

"All the more reason to suspect you as a possible true culprit then." Was her retort. Insulted by this accusation, the director growled but the other girl continued to stare, unchanging. She had accused a dear friend- a dear schoolmate -of the murder of another one of her schoolmates. This was an offense that shouldn't- _wouldn't_ be taken lightly.

 _ **Cross Swords!**_

"Heyyy... they went with the actual title..." Emi pointed out, finger outstretched above her. Soft clicking could be heard- similar to the sound of a stapler opening and closing. "N-No! Please!"

Yuuji merely snickered, continuing to replicate the noise with his own vocal chords.

* * *

 _A/N_

 _I am sorry this is really short- work is a pain in the bum. ;v; Speaking of that thing- I also have that tomorrow. So this is just a quick update with some actual mechanics and blah blah blah words. Although it wasn't too much- I'd like to know your opinions. Are the Nonstop Debates fine? Should I make them, I dunno, longer? Should I also include whatever comes after statement that leads to the break? Urgh._

 _[Also, i was scrolling around through stories review sections and I discovered that the Cross Swords thingy thangy thingy is something that doesn't typically work well. Sooo, I opted to try and shift into something else. How that turns out- wellll... We'll find out next chapter. c: Also, sorry for no review replies. ;; i'm really sleepy and it's almost midnight- I'm not a real morning person orz._


	17. Chapter 14: Trial 1-2

_**Chapter 14: Trial 1-2**_

With the round beginning, the two girls stared each other down as the blades their holographic forms were holding pressed against each other, generating digital sparks as they leaned back and forth. It seemed more like a tug-o-war sort of thing as opposed to some kind of sword fight- which was kind of weird. Nonetheless, that didn't matter at the moment. Both girls made no move to speak, waiting for the other to present their case so they could counteract with claims of their own.

Or at least, until Kimiko drew a breath.

"Cease this at once-" she cut herself off, or rather the sound of metal clashing against metal did. She was surprised to hear the sound emanating from their other forms but shook it off quickly, focusing on the task at hand. "Yuuji as the Super High School Level Mimic has the capabilities to create a perfect replica of any voice or sound he's heard."

 _Clink. Clank._

"Even so, that doesn't mean he faked the announcement," Kiyomi retorted, her persona pushing Kimiko's back as well as hacking at the sword that had been gripped tightly in it's hands. "From what I understand, everyone heard the announcement at the same time. It'd be near impossible for him to mimic her voice _and_ make it so that it reaches everyone at the same time."

 _Clink. Clank. Cling._

"Nonsense," the director flicked her hair, leaning over her podium with a smirk. "It's a perfectly plausible scenario considering that our rooms aren't exactly sound proof. If someone threw a rock at a glass portrait and it shattered, I'm certain everyone would be able to hear it- at the same time."

The others simply watched the two debate, one on and one and slowly found themselves questioning the point of this. "Like, they're just debating back and forth- couldn't they do that down here?" Kiyoshi pointed out, arms crossed as he continued to watch the show. Others murmured in agreement whilst others weren't particularly bothered by this. At least they didn't have get into some sort of psychotic yelling contest to prove who's right and wrong.

"But y'know... It's possible they're _both_ wrong..." Asane noted, certainly surprising a few of the onlookers. "I mean, Hitomi said that there's holes in both of their arguments... So..."

 **"Nope! I said there** ** _could_** **not there** ** _is_** **!"** The A.I interjected, immediately correcting the false information. **"Not that it matters- if you guys are smart enough anyways. Now stop jibber jabbering, we're getting to the good part."**

"-you're just defending him since you're schoolmates and all that nonsense," Kimiko stated rather angrily, a fist coming down to the wood of her podium. A few of the other students flinched at this and the sword her holographic self was wielding had caught Kiyomi's off-guard and was preparing to cut her down. "It stands to reason- the Morning Announcement _**was faked**_ and there's no possible way to disprove it!" Only then she realized her slip of the tongue and immediately regretted the words that left her mouth when she noticed the glint in the other girl's eyes.

"That's a fraudulent declaration!" She bellowed, for some odd reason her voice had echoed quite loudly in the room. "...Uhm... Anyways- the fact that none of us had heard the Morning Announcement **_after_** is proof alone. First, it had repeated multiple times just like it did the the days prior and if Hitomi had made an announcement later then we would've heard it considering she repeats it multiple times!" After she finished stating her 'evidence' her holograph lunged at Kimiko's and the blade plunged right through the digital avatar's side- effectively landing a blow. After doing so, the images disappeared and the two girls were being lowered.

 _"Cross Swords round- complete. Winner- Kiyomi Madoka. Points awarded, 98."_ The automated voice spoke in it's dull and unappealing tone. _"No further analysis required- resuming trial process."_

Taking that as an opportune moment to speak, Dia sent a brief glance towards his senior. "Now then, will you relent on trying to prosecute Yuuji as the culprit Kimiko-senpai? To be honest, it's starting to get a bit old now..."

"Dia's right, we haven't been able to cover _anything_ because of that." Hitaka chorused in agreement, only earning an irritated click of the tongue from the girl.

"...Fine... Just, debate and whatever without me..." The defeated girl huffed, crossing her arms. Though she seemed insulted, her brows furrowed together as though she were diving into a deep thought.

A heavy sigh escaped Emi's lips, tossing her hands up in the air. "Okay-okay. It's been... twenty minutes and so far all we've discovered is that Hotaru had been murdered in either the Kitchen or the Freezer. The question still remains- which is it?"

"...It's hard for me to determine..." Senri murmured, rubbing his chin as he did so. "I mean- it'd be easy to just say they're the same thing like Taro said earlier, but Hitomi's declaration on them not being the same place says that it means otherwise. ...And I have to say, **_I agree with that completely._** "

"What?" Taro arched a brow at him, looking as annoyed as ever. "What do you mean you agree- she could be leading you by the nose for all we know."

" _Tarocchi's right!_ " Yuuji exclaimed, using Emi's voice for the phrase before switching to Kimiko's. " _My curvaceous body definitely approves of his statement."_ He expected to elicit some sort of response from the director, but she seemed to give him as much attention as a dirtied coin on the sidewalk.

"Yeah... no," Senri dismissed, shaking his head briskly. "How could _you_ of all people forget about it? I mean, you pointed it out to myself and Caroline when we were investigating the crime scene. You even got irritated with me when I couldn't even figure it out without you having to spell it out for me. Come on, _remember."_

The economist's expression morphed into one of disbelief before he let out a small sigh. However, before anything could happen, the lights had been turned off and the trial room turned completely dark. Curtains fell, keeping everyone from witnessing the display that had appeared before the boy.

"What's going?!" Naoki cried out, twisting her body and flinging her arms about in attempt to get an idea of what all was happening. When she felt the cloth, she flinched away, nearly falling off her podium.

"...Just relax..." Shirotani muttered, sounding as calm and composed as usual. Though, no one would be able to notice that he was actually quivering. His eyes were focused on his glove-clad hands, staring at them since before the lights had fallen. He was nervous and was starting to lose it. By now, twenty-five minutes had passed and he had yet to attend to his urgent matters. How would he be able to? The necessary tools weren't present for him to do so and as such, he could only stand there.

 _"Commencing Hangman's Gambit- player participating; Taro Hiragaki. System beginning in twenty seconds- please prepare."_ The automated voice spoke- playing a much more important role in this trial than the actual hostess.

"Taro hurry up and finish that game!" Caroline cried out, sounding unusually desperate. "I can't sneak a hug on Dia in the dark like this... Even my DIG-ID's brightness is off..."

"Wait- mine is off too... Wait- no! Stay over there- stay _over there_!" Dia shouted, doing god knows what to try and find a way to keep her from attacking him with affection. Not like either of them could do anything in the first place.

"Shut up..." He had already gotten ready for the game, the gun that had been provided was clutched tightly in his hands as the typical hangman figure appeared in the middle section of the trial room. For him, it was like being in a movie theater- all by yourself. It was almost sort of lonely- the best peace he'd get for a few moments at best.

 _ **Hangman's Gambit**_

It wasn't until the letters had began appearing on the screen that he didn't realize Hitomi hadn't explained how to play this game. But it seemed self-explanatory- or so he thought. He tried firing at the first letter- which was an 'A' but a buzzer went off a moment later along with a painful shock.

"What the hell!"

 **"Oopsie! I forgot to mention. You're supposed to shoot two or more of the same letters back to back in order for it to go into the slot. And- you have to start on the first slot- though I dunno why you'd start out of order like an idiot."** Hitomi's cheerful voice filled the room as the game entered a temporary pause. **"Here, I'll give you an extra life. Now- remember!"**

Sucking his teeth as letters began appearing, Taro's eyes drifted about the screen- looking at the empty spaces and the letters for brief intervals. Eleven letters- one space in between them so two words. His eyes moved to the first word before aiming at the letter 'S' and quickly firing before pulling the trigger once again when he had his gaze set on the next letter 'S.'

 _Correct!_

 _S_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ S_

The light blue word appeared on the screen as the letter took the first slot of the blank words. It also occupied the last letter- which perplexed him. "I thought I was going in order?"

 **"You are! It's just less redundant this way!"** She answered, humming a moment after as he continued his little shooting fest.

 _S_ _ R _ _ _ _ R _ S_

"...Oh! It's the Scorch Marks- isn't it?" He exclaimed, realization dawning on him. As quickly as he finished his sentence, a series of chimes went off as the projector turned off again. The curtains raised and the trial room had returned to it's former glory. The announcer voice spoke, declaring the economist had earned a measly 86 points to which he was displeased about.

"Anyways, yeah. I remember now." He starts, raking a hand through his hair. "The scorch marks in the Kitchen don't match up with the ones in the Freezer. See?" As he pointed this out, a screen with the images of both rooms focused on said markings appeared before each individual student. Several gasps in understanding were heard as they examined the screens before them.

"So I came to a conclusion that they were caused by two different mediums- one was the explosion that we all heard." Taro stated, his index finger sticking up. "The second... I'm not entirely sure about."

"...? Wouldn't it just be a fire...?" Ken pointed out, a purple bruise clear as day on his right cheek, though no one bothered to comment on it. "I mean- it'd make sense after all... It's not like there were multiple explosions or anything- just that one."

"It'd also explain Shirotani's autopsy report!" Asane pointed out, sticking her arm out with an index finger outstretched. "Remember? It said that Hotaru's body was cold but still felt warm in some places. If her body was extremely cold then she had to have been in the freezer since before the explosion- otherwise her body would be hotter..."

"Wait-wait," Dia sputtered out, quickly finding himself getting lost. "So you're saying she was left there _overnight_?" He inquired, a frown adorning his features. "I-I'm not saying it's impossible or anything... but-"

"No... That's impossible," Kiyomi dismissed, her voice sounding a bit grave. However, certainty was laced in her voice.

"Oh- now she's just disagreeing with _everyone_. Gee, thanks Kiyomi. I guess you don't want us to figure out the culprit," Kimiko sneered, obviously feeling quite sore from the earlier events. However, the match-maker paid her words no mind, quivering a bit. Being the somewhat mature lady she was, the director immediately changed her tone. "Wait- are you...?"

"...Hotaru... Was alive **_before the time of the explosion..._** " The room was immediately filled with collective gasps from each of the students, some out of shock and the others out of disbelief. Some, however, were a mix of both.

 **"Le gasp! Hon hon hon- la baguette!"** Hitomi chimed in, clapping her hands together as she did so. **"What an amazing plot twist! Well- for you tools at least. I already knew that(tilde)!"**

"Oh shut up- no one cares!" Senri hissed at the girl- digital girl -who merely pouted and mumbled something about high school boys being touchy. "Anyways, how do you know that Hotaru was alive before the explosion? Irregardless of how cold the freezer is, she couldn't have suffered such intensive burns _and_ have her body suddenly have a temperature change. It's just not possible."

"I'm with the journalist on this one," Taro muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Its next to impossible- no, it's a statistical chance of absolute zero of something like that being able to occur. Not in this facility with these pieces technology."

"...Then..." With a voice no louder than a whisper, the match-maker crossed her arms and cast her gaze aside. "...What if... What if _**Hotaru's burns or injuries weren't the cause of death...?"**_

This certainly left an unnerving silence on the crowd. Those who investigated could only stare at her in disbelief. As far as they knew, she hadn't even gave the corpse so much as a second look before locking herself away in her room. And even then, there was always at least someone in the room with the corpse and it didn't seem like they had seen her anywhere near there.

Something wasn't adding up. And they didn't have time to wonder about it- without warning the podiums began spinning again as they began lifting off the ground. Clutching tightly to the wood, the students prepared for another non-stop debate round.

 _ **Nonstop Debate!**_

Kimiko: ...So... According to you...

Kimiko: Hotaru _was_ actually _alive_ before we heard the explosion...?

Kiyomi: ...Yes...

Senri: And the burns along with her other injuries weren't the cause of death...?

Kiyomi: That's what I said, yes.

Taro: That's complete and utter bull- it doesn't make sense.

Taro: She had cuts on her ankles and wrists...

Taro: ...a broken neck...

Taro: ...and her body was fucking charred!

Asane: Well, it's not like people can't survive from being burned...

Asane: We're not even sure of the details on the burnings...

Dia: So, then is it possible that **_Hotaru froze to death?_**

Ken: ...It's a possibility...

Hitaka: I think Hotaru actually died from _**the broken neck...**_

Hitaka: I mean, if she was alive after the burning and the stab wounds, it's possible that when the explosion happened...

Hitaka: She was still alive then... and it caused her to break her neck...

Hitaka: ...And pass...

Kiyomi: I don't know how she died- but I'm certain...

Kiyomi: **_Hotaru was without a doubt, alive before the explosion occurred._**

Emi: Bu-But it doesn't make sense...

Emi: This is like- trying to get the hidden secret route that's unlockable by unforeseeable means like failing the other routes...

 _ **?: With many impressions- I'm sure that this one holds true!**_

* * *

A voice the group had yet to hear suddenly declared, firing a bullet to the words Kiyomi had said. Rather than destroying them, the action caused her words to shine a vibrant color before the simulation had shut down.

 _"Argument has been supported. Owner of truth bullet- Yuuji Nakamura. Points awarded- 100."_ The voice announced again before silence fell for a brief moment. _"Evidence bullet used is not stored within database. Downloading information now. ... ... ... Complete. Please continue with the trial."_ Without warning, everyone's devices began lighting up as another evidence bullet was made known.

 _ **Evidence Bullet Added!**_

 _Hallway Chat_

 _Kiyomi and Hotaru had a brief conversation in the hallway prior to the gathering in the Lobby. There is an audio file attached._

"While I was making my way back from the Manager's Lounge, I heard Kiyomi and Hotaru talking," the mystery voice continued. Eyes turned and fell upon Yuuji who stood there with a cool and composed look- something they hadn't seen at all. It was...unsettling to say the least. "...I didn't see Hotaru, but I definitely heard her voice. I don't know why or how, but the DIG-ID has an audio file on their exchange..."

Without needing any sort of order or confirmation to play said file, the boy tapped the screen and slight crackling could be heard from all around the trial room. Talk about surround sound.

 _"...Hotaru-san...?"_ The voice was without a doubt Kiyomi's, followed by a series of knocks. _"Hotaru-san, are you... are you okay...?"_ It was clear that there was an unsettling feeling in her voice, a voice filled with concern and fear.

 _"Ah- yeah!"_ Hotaru's cheerful voice made it's appearance- though she seemed to sound a bit off. _"I'm getting ready to shower- I'll be out in a minute, okay?"_

 _"A-Ah... Okay!"_ Kiyomi certainly sounded a bit relieved at that, a sigh escaping her lips. The sound of footsteps began playing, probably belonging to her before the file closed.

"Oh come on- it's obvious that is faked," Naoki huffed, crossing her arms. She rolled her eyes when she got looks from the others, adjusting her spectacles. "Like Kimiko said several times earlier, he's the Super High School Level Mimic. I'm not going to just follow blindly with some audio file that he quote on quote, surprisingly, has. I mean-"

"It's true..." Kiyomi's voice cut her off, earning a surprised look from the writer. At this moment, the match-maker was leaning against her podium for support as her eyes were covered by her hands. It was faint, but a drop of some liquid fell to the wooden surface before disappearing. "Tha-That was why I had left the lo-lobby in a rush... ...I was concerned that Hotaru and Yuuji might-might have... ...Died... So I went to go check on them... Th-They were fine so I figured everything wa-was okay... Bu-But..."

She couldn't control herself any longer. Her voice broke as she spoke and soft sobs escaped from her mouth as hot tears trailed down her face. Biting her lip, Naoki turned away from the girl with her brows knitted together. She wondered if things had been different. If it had been Asane or Emi, would she be crying like the other girl was now?

...Most likely...

After several moments of allowing the girl's soft cries to dominate the majority of the sounds in the room, Hitomi decided to intervene. **"Ahhh- I'm growing bored already. How long as this been going on for? Maybe like, forty-five minutes now? I was supposed to let this drag on as long as it takes but now I'm feeling a time limit. How's thirty seconds sound?"**

"What the fu-" Senri found himself ducking as soon as a dart flew by, sticking itself in the wall behind him. "Are you insane!? One, thirty seconds isn't enough time for us to actually figure this thing out. Two, are you _trying_ to kill me?!"

 **"...Maaaaybe?"** The girl hummed, waving him off. **"But seriously, hurry up. I'm surprised Kimiko isn't in a hurry to condemn the culprit. Especially considering _she_ was the one who almost wound up in Hotaru's place..."**

 _Thump._

A hat had went flying and flew right through the holographic girl, hitting the wall with a soft thump before sliding down it. Kimiko glared threateningly at their host before her form retreated into a more defensive pose. Arms crossed and her gaze focused on the floor.

"...Kimiko-senpai? ...What is she talking about...?" Dia inquired, looking at the girl with concern and worry. However, she said nothing.

"Ooooh- this makes things _different!_ " An unnaturally cheerful voice exclaimed followed by a serious of claps. "I had my doubts at first- but that little detail makes everything perfectly clear!"

"Na-Naoki...?"

"I believe the true culprit is the one who's been so adamant about having Yuuji being the culprit. Likely because she wanted him to take the blame like the little fool she is. Ahhh- history really _does_ repeat itself. The culprit is actually the person throwing around such a baseless accusation just because of one tiny little detail! Tee-hee!"

The writer had some sort of twisted smile plastered on her face, her eyes having some sort of indescribable emotion floating about in them. It was...unnerving. Without so much as a chance for the others to comment- the podiums began spinning once again and elevating quite a bit off the ground.

 _ **Nonstop Debate!**_

Naoki: What a surprise- what _a_ surprise!

Naoki: Who would've guessed that the _prestigious_ Silver Wing would actually commit a murder!

Senri: What are you talking about...? We don't know that's the case for sure...

Ken: Agreed, let's not jump to conclu-

Naoki: But you didn't have a problem with Kimiko doing that to Yuuji?

Naoki: Accomplices! Accomplices the lot of ya!

Ken: ...Tch.

Asane: Woah... Ken clicks his tongue like that?

Asane: Wait no- Naoki, what's happening with you?

Naoki: Nothing- just figured a few things out, that's all. But let's not worry about that.

Naoki: I think it's clear that everyone's favorite director has just as much of a motive...

Naoki: As anyone else! Perhaps even more...

Hitaka: ...? Really? Why's that?

Naoki: Oh come on...! I can't do all the super sleuthing stuff myself.

Naoki: Think a little!

Caroline: ...Then, was it the _motives_ Hitomi sent us...?

Naoki: Mmm...

Yuuji: What about _self-defense...?_

Naoki: _Mmmmmm..._

Emi: A-An _accident...?_

Naoki: _Mmmmm..._

Kiyoshi: Oh come one! Just tell us already!

Shirotani: ...This is certainly starting to get annoying...

Kiyoshi: See?! Even Shirotani is tired of your 'mmm's!

Shiortani: ...There's...absolutely no water...

Kiyoshi: ...

Kiyoshi: Ignore him! Just get on with it!

 _ **Naoki: This plot flows exceptionally well!**_

* * *

As usual, the game quickly ended and the podiums went back to normal. _"Statement supported- Yuuji Nakamura's. 95 Points awarded to Naoki Hamasaki. Evidence Bullet used could not be located in the database. Retrieving data... ... ... Data retrieved. Continue on with trial."_ Just like last time with Yuuji, another truth bullet found it's way on the student's screens.

 _ **Hotaru Amemori's DIG-ID**_

 _..._

However, nothing popped up.

"What good is this as evidence?" Taro muttered, scratching his head as he frowned at the sight of the hologram. "There's nothing on it for us to view."

"That's because I haven't shown you guys what's needed to be shown. Just wait a second sergeant grumps." The writer huffed before tapping on her screen several times. In moments, words had filled everyone's screen. Not just any words- a private message from Hitomi- one that was quite familiar to all of the students.

"Ta-da! Hotaru's motive!"

 _'Kimiko Mayu. The Super High School Level Busty Babe- I mean, Cheesy Screenplay Director. Talented as a movie director for God knows why, but I wonder if that's not all she's talented in. I mean, certainly she knows her fair share of fantastic acting- if not perfect. Who's to say this little, "group leader" front she's putting out isn't one for you chumps to mindlessly follow. I mean, she already looks down on the other schools. Who's to say she's not planning on offing one of your own? Do you dare risk that? ...Again?_

 _With hugs and kisses- your's truly. Hitomi!_

Was what the contents detailed. Students looked over the words, over and over again.

"...So wait, that would mean... The person that Hitomi mentioned earlier..." Ken muttered, staring at the screen awfully hard.

* * *

 _ **Select!**_

 _1\. Kimiko_

 _2\. Yuuji_

 _3\. Kiyomi_

 ** _4\. [[ Hotaru ]]_**

 ** _Ken: That's the meaning behind the code..._**

* * *

"...Was... _Hotaru?"_ He asked, plagued with disbelief.

"Ding ding ding!" Naoki chimed, wagging her finger. "Looks like we've got ourselves a grade- A genius over here! Congratulations Hiromoto." He made no move to correct her on that- too busy trying to process the new information. "So, considering how Hotaru had a motive to try and kill Kimiko, it's safe to suggest that Kimiko could have killed her in self-defense since she tried to attack her!"

...

It certainly made sense. No, it made perfect sense. It's been established that she has a motive- but does that really apply here? Can it really apply here? ...But, it was the only thing that made sense.

"...N-No..." Kimiko muttered, disbelief drenching the simple word. A hand found it's way to her forehead, almost as though it were trying to suppress the thoughts that were beginning to formulate in the confines of her mind. "...Hotaru... Was my friend- we got along well after we woke up in the Lobby. She... _She_ wouldn't try to kill me..."

"...I think it's... Very possible that she was the one who tried to..." Caroline stated, sounding uncharacteristically solemn. The director looked over to her friend whom held herself in a secure hold, looking to the ground. "...From what you told me Kimiko, the only person who would be able to do that is Hotaru... It's her talent after all..."

"Wait- by that do you mean...?" Hitaka trailed off, realization dawning on him.

* * *

 _ **Select**_

 _1\. Juggle Bowling Pins_

 _ **2\. [[ Throw An Object With Extreme Force ]]**_

 _3\. Break the Fourth Wall_

 _ **Hitaka: Right in the kisser!**_

* * *

"Throwing something, right? I mean- if it's small like a dart she should be able to throw it with extreme force. Enough force to kill..." The fighter's voice went lower as he continued, finding himself looking away as well.

"...It'd also explain that hole we found in the hallway..." Kiyoshi added, tapping on his DIG-ID and causing an image to appear for all to see. "Since Hitomi isn't allowed to tell lies... ...and... Kimiko was attacked by someone... If it was by Hotaru... Th-Then this hole could easily have been her doing if she was throwing something at a long distance..."

It was clear he was having a hard time getting that out. After all, like his senior schoolmates, he had gotten along with the girl quite well. Though, he willed himself to not let any tears fall- at least, not in front of everyone.

"In any case, we've established a proper motive for Kimiko. The question is- how did she do it..." Naoki mused, a dangerous glint apparent in her eyes. The director who was being suspected wasn't even worried about that- still stuck on the fact that a person she had considered a friend had attempted to betray her. Of course, it was possible it was all pure speculation. Yes, it'd make sense, would it not?

They were friends.

They _were_ friends.

"Nnng..." The soft groaning captured the student's attention as the other remaining member of Asukawa finally awoke. Standing up, Izuna rubbed his eyes as a soft yawn escaped his lips- though it sounded more like a mewl. "...Where... am I...?" He asked, confusion apparent on his expression.

"...And... why does Hotaru look... Look like _that...?"_

None of them made a sound to answer him- so their loving hostess decided to do it herself. **"Isn't it obvious? It's because she's dead. One of your fellow Super High School Levels- or you -offed her like the dastardly bastardly hazardly insane fool they are! But of course, your friends are too stupid to have solved it already. Buuuut- it seems like they might be getting close. Hyuu hyuu."**

"...what...?" The musician stood there, jaw clenched as he stared at the hologram of the girl he once knew. Feeling a bit tired from his unexpected and far from intentional sleep was the least bit of his concerns.

Far from it.

* * *

 _Next Time:_

 _"-before, I had heard it. Just moments-"_

 _"We're still going in goddamn circles!"_

 _"...I-I just want this to end..."_

 _"Wh-What's happening to you...? This-This isn't like you!"_

 ** _"Me...? Ahhh... maybe I might have done something..."_**

 _"The true culprit..."_

 _"I don't understand- why would that..."_

 _"...is none other..."_

 _"I life is valuable- no matter what. Just some are more valuable than others..."_

 _"...than **you!** "_

* * *

 _A/N_

 _Bleep bloop. I stopped being a lazy butt for a while and decided to write after I got off work today. Maybe since I'm off tomorrow I'll update again. There's nothing like freetime. Except opening packages with products that you bought online. -insert squealing.- For this update- I tried to tug in a few of your suggestions- some I didn't make it clear because y'know, if they knew that they were going down the wrong path then they wouldn't be able to...get to... ...It just wouldn't work out if it's stated directly- I can't explain it because I'm bad with words. ;v; Also- I didn't realize that I made an error in the last chapter (Because I was going with a different route before I edited it) but the last Nonstop Debate was supposed to be Agreeing, not Refuting. I'm slow and I forget to fix words. Please don't sue me, orz._

 _As for the next chapter. I think... I think- it's about time for an AU. Not the Hotaru-centered one, that'll come after trial. Along with the culprit's. Wink wink nudge nudge. I've been dreaming up some crazy stuff that I've been itching to write. But main story comes first- so I've been putting those off too. Orz. ;x; Anyways, expect an update soon._

 _(Thanks for the reviews, you guys are precious. (/)w(\\))_


	18. Chapter 15: Trial 1-3

_A/N_

 _Although I highly doubt anyone will actually be looking at this, I sincerely apologize for my extremely long and unannounced hiatus. Personally, I wasn't even expecting it to happen but work wound up consuming my time and life. Don't you love having to strive for money? Anyways, I intend to finish this story even though I was going to simply leave it unfinished due to some other reasons, but those are no longer part of my concerns. Following after this chapter will be the conclusion of this section of the story and once that is done I will go back to replying to reviews— assuming there are reviews to reply to._

 _As usual, I hope you enjoy and accept my sincerest apologies._

* * *

 ** _Chapter 15: Trial 1-3 [Conclusion]_**

"So... Let me make sure I'm understanding what exactly is going on..." Izuna began, massaging his aching forehead as he sorted out the information that was inserted into his mind in a matter of minutes. They taken a moment to explain what exactly had occurred while he was unconscious including what happened to Hotaru along with the current matters regarding the trial. "Hotaru... was burned... _murdered_. And now we're having a trial in order to figure out who did it... right?"

"That's pretty much the gist of it, yeah," Senri replied, nodding his head tensely as he gripped his podium. While things were certainly taking a drastic turn with them all having to play detective and in suit, accuse each other of murder with Kimiko currently being the prime suspect. Said teen had her palm to her face, shielding her facial features from the others as she tilted her head in a downward position, completely lost in her thoughts.

"Anyways, we're almost done here since we've already figured out the one with the most motive amongst us all to follow through with murdering _poor_ Hotaru," Naoki interrupted, clapping her hands as a rather cynical glance was cast towards the director. "She doesn't even have a rebuttal for the accusation, the guilt is all over her, can't you see?"

"And like you're not guilty either?" Caroline inquired, tilting her head to the side as she posed her own question. "You're doing the same thing as she was, using small and unclear details to try and pin Kimiko as the culprit. Who's to say that you're not the culprit? Sure, Hotaru's motive was connected with Kimiko and all... And maybe it's more than likely that the she was the one who tried to attack Kimiko just before she died, but her death and her attack on Kimiko could be two unrelated things entirely. Of course, this is just a hypothesis and you shouldn't take it too seriously!" With her typical smile, the blonde magician waved her hand before shifting her attention to her DIG-ID, looking over the gathered information.

Fidgeting where she stood, Kiyomi glanced about before pursing her lips to speak, biting on her bottom lip ever so slightly. "I-I actually don't think... Kimiko-senpai murdered Hotaru..." This certainly got the attention of the movie director, however, no other movements were made afterwards. "I-I'm not sure why... But I don't think it was her..."

"Oh, so we're moving to disagree with me now, are we?" Naoki mused, an unsightly and crooked smile tugging at her lips as she leaned against her own stand. Elbow propped up and hand cradling her face as she glowered at the nervous match-maker.

"Na-Naokicchi, wh-what's happening with you? This... This isn't like you!" Emi croaked out, her hands clutched together as she stared at her beloved friend as tears sprang to life at the corners of her eyes. The game maker jumped a bit from the rather soulless look the other girl gave her before redirecting her attention back to Kiyomi, effectively ignoring the other teen's question.

" _An-y-ways!_ _"_ The writer mused, an indication of her moving along with the trial and paying Emi no mind. "So what you're saying is that Kimiko isn't the killer- _couldn't_ be the killer? On what grounds? Evidence? _Solid and rock hard proof?"_ Not even allowing a moment for the girl to respond, Naoki let out a somewhat cruel laugh as she stood up straight with a hand poised on her hip. "No wait, let me guess. It's just a _feeling._ Unfortunately, I don't think that'll work in a court setting Miss Madoka~"

Without warning, the podiums began to shift and although few were surprised by the sudden motion, the students were slowly becoming used to the strange court room mechanics. Just like before, two holograms featuring Kiyomi and Naoki appeared before them both, a sword gripped tightly in each of their hands as they glared at the other in preparation for battle. Immediately like the matchmaker's duel with Kimiko, the two holograms' blades were at each other's throats as sparks began to fly for the others below to observe in concern, worry and anticipation.

"...Seriously though, can't they just do that down here?" Kiyoshi pointed out for the umpteenth time, earning a few eye rolls as they simply observed the two in silence, awaiting the outcome of the Quick Blade Duel. ...Cross Swords.

 _ **Cross Swords!**_

"I seem to remember quite clearly the last time this happened _you_ brought up the possibility of Kimiko being the murderer when she accused Yuuji so fervently..." Naoki began, her digital form beginning to cut at the other girl's blade as she continued the prelude for her argument. "So, now you're defending her? Don't make me laugh matchmaker, this isn't a game like your talent, this is solving _murder_. We can't let little things like _'feelings'_ determine who we think could've been the murderer." Letting out a small sigh, the writer leaned over her podium as she eyed the girl through their clashing holograms. Or rather, through her hologram bashing on the poor girl's blade without any breaks.

"...It's the same as with Kimiko and Yuuji..." Kiyomi spoke, her avatar finally pushing back against the other's advances, though the initial resistance was rather weak. "The simple fact that Hotaru was most likely the one who attacked her before she died... and the basis that Yuuji faked the morning announcement in order to convict him as the murderer, they're the same circumstances!" Clenching her hands tightly, the matchmaker's expression contorted into one filled with pain and dismay as she continued. "There _has_ to be more evidence, we can't convict someone based off of a single piece of evidence..."

This only managed to earn a snort from the other as she began her retort, "And like that doesn't happen in the legal system? Look, it doesn't matter in here or out there- the point is we have to figure out the culprit with what we have and at this point, Kimiko's looking pretty guilty. Unless you want to suggest that Yuuji is actually the culprit? Well? Which is it? No wait, let me guess. Neither. You're a real card, you know that Miss Madoka."

"As it stands, there is **_no other evidence to prove that anyone else other than Kimiko is the culprit!"_** Finally came Naoki's finalizing statement as the lens of her glasses shone in absolute victory. Her hologram raised the sword it wielded before bringing it down upon the other girl's hand.

Or at least, it should have.

Without warning, a _third_ hologram made it's presence known with a sword equipped in their hand as they defended Kiyomi's from the blow. Headphones perched on their head, it was clear who exactly the sword belonged to as they narrowed their eyes at the other teen. Gritting her teeth in frustration and mild annoyance, Naoki glared at the male whose podium had taken the opportunity to rise and stand among their own.

"I disagree with that statement!" Izuna announced, taking part in his first event within the bizarre trial. The others were surprised by _his_ appearance considering he had been unconscious during the entire ordeal, even most of the trial as well.

 **"Ohohoho! What a delectable surprise!"** Hitomi chorused as a flow of giggles escaped her digital lips whilst her body curled until a ball and her legs kicked out rapidly in her amusement. **"The one who was out and didn't even have a chance to investigate managed to figure something out before the rest of you other tools. Now we know who the _true_ detective is around these parts. Bwahahaha, you should all be embarrassed! Disappointments the lot of ya, disappointments I say!"**

"Oh shut up, no one cares about your goddamn opinions," Senri huffed, ducking his head in anticipation for a dart flying at him in retaliation from the A.I. However, when none came, he took it as a sign to stand only to find a dart flying right past the tip of his nose. "Could you please not?" He cried out, his blood running cold at the thought of actually getting punctured by such a thing.

"Guys, please. Izuna's getting somewhere! And I got a lock of Dia's hair!" Caroline interrupted, pointing to the holograms with very well, a few strands of her underclassman's tresses clenched tightly in the very same hand.

"Wait- when did you-"

"You were unconscious all this time and now you say you disagree with a clearly true statement?" Naoki inquired, skepticism clear in her gaze as she narrowed her eyes at the male. She was uncertain as to what would possibly lead him to make such an outrageous claim at this point in time especially since there was no chance for him to gather any evidence at any time. ...Was it possible that he _did_ manage to figure something out with the vast amount of information that had been recorded since the trial began? No, he's only been awake for at least fifteen minutes...

"Yes, because I know for sure who the culprit is. I didn't figure it out until Kiyomi-san had spoken, but now I understand completely!" As he spoke, his hologram shifted and cut at Naoki's in a flash, disarming the girl's hologram with relative ease and leaving no room for a counterattack. " **The fault lies in the morning announcement.** "

 _"Cross Swords round- complete. Winner- Izuna Kokomaru. Points awarded, 75."_ Yet again,the automated voice made it's appearance at the end of another duel, an awkward and uncomfortable silence in it's wake as the podiums lowered. _"No further analysis required- resuming trial process."_

"...So, you believe the piece to figuring out the culprit is in the morning announcement, correct Kokomaru?" Shirotani inquired, his eyes trained on his gloved hands as the limbs visibly trembled before his sight. He was beginning to lose his mind, at this rate he had no idea how much longer he'd be capable of lasting without being able to complete his most important of duties.

"E-Er... Yes, that's correct," Izuna replied, adjusting his headphones rather frantically as the blood in his veins began to cool. "I know it was went over earlier and all but... I think I have the answer..."

* * *

 _Select:_

 _1\. Senri_

 _2\. Emi_

 _3\. Hitaka_

 _4\. Hotaru_

 _5\. Caroline_

 _6. **[[Yuuji]]**_

 _7\. Shirotani_

 _8\. Izuna_

 _9\. Kimiko_

 _10\. Kiyoshi_

 _11\. Naoki_

 _12\. Dia_

 _13\. Kiyomi_

 _14\. Taro_

 _15\. Asane_

 _16\. Ken_

 ** _Izuna: This tune's the match made in heaven!_**

"The culprit is none other than you!" The musician declared, his finger pointing at the mimic who'd been accused once already during the trial, earning a series of facepalms and heavy sighs from the others. Concerned by their reactions, Izuna looked to the others with a slightly worried expression as his nerves slowly began to become unsettled and uneasy.

"We're still going in goddamn circles!" Taro shouted, slamming his fist on his podium in clear outrage from the accusation. "We already proved that he isn't the murderer and now you want to accuse him of it again? Based on the same grounds that was already disproved?"

"Y-Yes b-but-"

"I-I just want it to stop... I just want this to end..." Kiyomi murmured, leaning on her podium for support as tears began to sting her eyes. "Can we... Can we just stop this already? We're just... We're just fighting amongst our selves and now we're just... not getting anywhere again..." She was borderline pleading, wanting this trial to end. Though few of the others weren't as eager to admit it, they were also growing tired of this game of tug-o-war, the endless merry-go-round of trying to figure out the culprit.

"I-I'm trying b-but-"

"Izuna, please." Kimiko interrupted, flicking her short tresses before resuming to cross her arms and glower at the male. "I already tried and I was proven wrong. I don't think you bringing up the same point I did will change anything at all."

 _"...Now now, let's at least give him the chance."_ Yuuji, of all people, spoke up and earned his fair share of looks in response to his suggestion that _supported_ the very accusation of his hand in Hotaru's death. "I'm not saying I _did_ do it, but if Izuna believes he knows how I did it then we should at least allow him to speak his piece. This is a trial room after all, everyone deserves the opportunity to speak, right?"

It was dubious to say the least. The one being suspected being open to agree to allow the one accusing them of murder to actually share their idea with the others, though it'd be far more suspicious if he was against it. Nonetheless, the others opted to keep their mouths shut and allow the musician to explain why he believes Yuuji to be the true culprit behind the ploy of Hotaru's murder.

"...Right, thanks... ...I th-think?" Shaking his head, Izuna took in a deep breath to collect himself before opening his mouth to speak once more. "Okay, so we all heard the morning announcement this morning, right? Well, I believe like Kimiko-san, Yuuji faked that announcement with the usage of his talent as the Super High School Level Mimic. It'd be an easy feat for him to do and I'm sure he'd be able to effectively project his voice loud enough to reach us all even while we are in our rooms."

"...Then why didn't we hear another announcement?" Hitaka inquired, staring the other male down with a rather tense expression. Of course he'd ask that question for it was the same reason why Kimiko's theory had been shot down since she was incapable of proving that. "If he did mimic the announcement, then what would he have done when we heard the actual announcement? We'd know something was up at the point, wouldn't we?"

"I don't expect you guys to remember hearing it, but when the explosion went off, I could _hear it._ " Izuna replied calmly, gripping his podium tightly before continuing. "At the time of the explosion, **_Hitomi's actual morning announcement went off_** which is why I wound up falling unconscious. The explosion's noise would have been manageable by itself, but with her loud announcement too, I couldn't handle the noise and we-well..."

"And the reason why we couldn't hear it afterwards?" Senri spoke, a bit skeptical at the idea, however it somewhat made sense in his mind. If the explosion was synced in time with Hitomi's announcement and thus made it so they wouldn't be able to hear it... Then it would be as though the first announcement was the true announcement...

"Wouldn't it be because of the after effects of the explosion?" Yuuji answered, a rather grave expression etched in his face, "our ears would've been ringing from the raw sound of the explosion and all the other noises wouldn't come out as clearly, right? Not to mention we were searching for the source of the explosion and in turn found Hotaru's body which triggered the corpse discovery announcement."

"Wai-Wait, Yuuji are you saying-"

"While I admit that is a pretty brilliant plan, I'd like to point out several things," the mimic interrupted Kiyomi, silencing the poor girl as he began diverting the conversation towards their detective for this trial. "First being my motive, if I could recall I don't exactly have one."

"...Do you really even need a motive to kill someone..." Dia muttered, narrowing his eyes at the male, though it simply went ignored as Yuuji continued.

"If you can prove that to me, then perhaps I'll admit to taking Hotaru's life. Better to have a culprit than none at all at this point, right?" Letting out a dry laugh as the podiums began to spin, signifying the activation of another yelling game between the students, Yuuji raked a hand through his hair as the slightest glimpse of sorrow arose in the grin he bore afterwards.

 _ **Nonstop Debate!**_

Asane: So... Is Yuuji the culprit or isn't he...?

Caroline: I think it's more like if he was the culprit...

Caroline: ...and just like any other culprit we need to figure out his motive.

Caroline: Though I'm sure if Dia had a motive it'd have something to do with height!

Dia: Sh-Shut up! Leave me alone!

Kimiko: ...Putting that aside, wouldn't **_escape_** be the essential motive here?

Kimiko: I mean, irregardless, that's still the biggest reason for anyone to murder...

Naoki: Even you?

Naoki: Glad you were ready to admit it!

Shirotani: I believe water is sufficient reason to murder.

Hitaka: ...Water?

Shirotani: For cleansing, of course.

Senri: ...Seriously...?

Senri: Anyways, there is the possibility of there being _another reason that isn't the motive or escape..._

Emi: A secret reason?

Emi: Is this the legendary _SenJi route!?_

Emi: Kyaaa! My heart is pounding! The CG! The CG!

Asane: Pl-Please, calm down...

 ** _Taro: I've seen the statistics, this must be the solution!_**

* * *

 _"Argument has been supported. Owner of truth bullet- Taro Hiragaki. Points awarded- 100. Evidence bullet used: **Kimiko's Testimony.** Nonstop debate completed, please resume with the trial." _With that, the podiums returned to their original positions and lowered to the floor once again as the teens awaited further explanation from the current man of the hour.

"If Yuuji didn't kill to escape or because of the motive we all received, then it's a possible chance he murdered Hotaru because of Kimiko." Taro spoke in a rather rigid tone, hand placed to his hip with the other nestled beneath his chin. "I'm not sure why, but it's a possible reason for him to commit murder after all. I mean, she was attacked by the girl and if he happened to _**witness**_ such a thing, then it's possible that he..."

"Nonsense!" Kimiko declared, her eyes raging with clear cut disbelief and doubt. "Why on earth would that serve as a reason to murder someone let alone for someone I'm not particularly fond of? This isn't some silly work of fiction where everyone is secretly friends and okay with each other, real life doesn't work that way!"

"...But it's true," Yuuji interrupted, his grin fading into a rather small and grim smile. "That night I had the fortunate, or unfortunate, chance to see Hotaru attack Kimiko with her dart throwing skills. Normally, I wouldn't have thought anything of it, but being Hotaru's schoolmate I knew she wouldn't do anything like that without a reason. Thus, I came to the conclusion she intended to murder Kimiko for whatever reason she felt it as necessary to do so. Perhaps because of the motive she received or because she truly wanted to escape this building."

"Wait- is that a confess-"

"So you just killed her?! Without even thinking to talk it over with her so this wouldn't have happened?" Kiyomi's voice boomed, causing Izuna to wince from the sheer volume her voice managed to reach as her emotions began to reach a fever pitch. She was outraged, hurt and most of all betrayed by the male's course of actions. Not to mention she had _defended_ him when he had been accused previously only to discover that her meddling was something she should not have done. "You were her schoolmate- her friend and you just murdered her in such a cruel way in order to defend _Kimiko?"_

"...The way you say her name is kind of insulting..." The mimic pointed out with another dry laugh before a heavy sigh escaped his lips. "But...even so, it had to be done. She was my friend, yes. And I care for my friends, I truly do but at this point there's something more important than that which is why I couldn't allow her to murder Kimiko. She has the traits of a leader, a well respectable one. A life is valuable- no matter what. Just some are more valuable than others..."

 _ **"I won't accept this!"**_

Voice bellowing throughout the room belonged to none other than the matchmaker, her eyes glowering at Yuuji with a mix of emotions— rage, disbelief and sorrow— were the most identifiable and most expressed through the torn expression she bore on her face. Shrinking back and holding her form in a defensive pose with her arms draped around her body whilst her eyes drifted to the wooden floor she stood upon in sheer agony. The other students were unsure of what they should say, granted if they should say anything at all to pierce the heavy silence that followed the girl's outburst. But... it appeared that wouldn't be necessary as their host began her rather boisterous and cynical laughter, attracting the other fourteen student's attention.

 **"I was seriously beginning to doubt that we would be able to get through the core features of a class trial, so thank you Kiyomi for igniting my _hope_ with that!" ** As the A.I. spoke her piece, the stand that the matchmaker stood upon began shifting up, very much like so with the Cross Swords event with Yuuji's following after with his own stopping a short distance below her own. The others shifted up slightly, remaining below the both of them but still very much able to witness them in whatever sort of... mini-game that would be occurring. **"Ahem! We will now begin the Defense Breakdown Talkative Maneuver or Machine-gun Talk Battle if you want to be one of those old school lames."**

"I'd really like to point out that this whole basement set up is really old school," Dia stated, his nose pointed to the air as he gave the virtual girl a look to which she replied with her tongue out and pulling on her lower eyelid. "...That's... really childish..."

 _"Kiyomi,_ please!" Yuuji cried out, leaning over his stand with his hands clenched tightly against the railing, effectively denting it though that wasn't of the greatest importance at this time. "Just... accept it. _I_ murdered Hotaru— whether or not you believe me, accept it or whatever— it's the goddamn truth!" While the girl was struggling in her own mess of emotions that only seemed to rapidly inflame with every word that drifted from his mouth, he himself only managed to find himself slowly drowning in a swirling mix of pain and regret that only seemed to increase with each passing second as the trial dragged on. His desire for this to end and her's for this to be nothing more than a lie that she'd have to endure for just a bit longer were the catalysts for the battle that was to begin.

"No! It's not _true!_ I don't believe you, I won't believe you—I _can't_ believe you!" The matchmaker countered, shaking her brunette tresses in their slowly loosening ponytail as it whipped left and right with her motions. "You wouldn't kill Hotaru, you two were _such_ great friends! No one else might have noticed, but I certainly did! That's why... That's why I won't let you take the blame of this crime!" With those words, three pillars of light formed around her and forming a triangle before dispersing and revealing three shields. Etched into the floating pieces of armor were a pair of hearts connected to each other— one pink and one blue. The three shields began swirling around her in a somewhat protective manner and though she tried, her hands couldn't physically touch them, just simply faze through them.

 **"Mmm... Okay, so this isn't exactly a normal case..."** Hitomi stated, a small frown forming on her usually jovial expression. **"Normally, the defendant would have a stronger defense but... since this only activates in accordance with the emotions of the participating party, it looks like Yuuji's gonna have an easy ass time!"** With that bold acclamation, the digital teen clutched her sides as she entered another laughing fit though the others were not as amused as she.

Furthermore... a certain fighter was gazing rather intently at the expressive matchmaker in worry. Though he would never dare to voice out to any of those around him as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, it was true that he was legitimately concerned for the health of the girl. Catching another staring at him from the corner of his eye— Emi— he gave her a rather frightening scowl to which she hastily averted her gaze to something far less interesting. A small sigh escaped his lips as he shifted his gaze upwards once more, observing the unfolding events.

" _Fine!_ If this is what it'll take to get you to end this, then I'll take you on!" Yuuji declared, an acceptance for this unconventional battle between them. With that, his podium began to glow along with Kiyomi's and pieces of wood beginning to fall off to the ground like useless garbage. Soon enough, the light faded revealing extremely sturdy metal podiums with a rather shiny and polished finish. Along the sides of the railing were slots in which something would be inserted, but it wasn't quite clear what could fit through such a strange slot. In the middle of Yuuji's podium, a round red button had appeared with two smaller buttons next to it—one gold and one black.

 **"Alllllllllright! It's finally time for the explanation!"** Hitomi cheered, floating up to the two participants with a delighted look etched into her face. **"The rules are fairly simple, the defendant simply has to survive the attack from the prosecution within the time limit in order to prove their point and how solid their defense is. The prosecution has to be able to prove the defense wrong, shatter their defenses and end the argument with the single piece of evidence that dares to prove that they are truly correct. In addition to that, using the large red button they have to shatter any arguments the defense provides in tune with the beat of the music. However, they have a limited amount of _ammo_ and must recharge by rapidly pressing the black button and they can only have eight pieces of ammunition at a time. I'm disabling the other features since this is everyone's first time, but once that cherry's popped we're going into the full mode! Does everyone understand?"**

"Actually-"

 **" _Great!_ I knew you guys had _some_ intelligence!" ** She cheered, cutting off Senri immediately and returning to her previous position. The two participant glared at each other, waiting for the signal to begin the battle that would determine the fate of both each other and those that could only stand and watch from the side. Lights began to dim as a beam of an aqua light shot from the two's podiums, forming a complete circle once they had connected.

"It's not too late to back down, Kiyomi..." The mimic offered, but the other stubbornly shook her head. Determination was clear in her eyes, but the same could be said for him. His to prove his guilt and her's to prove his innocence. What will be the true outcome?


End file.
